Ambassador to my heart
by Draguna Doragon
Summary: Three OC's thaw from cryo to work at the embassy on Aya. MA for intense smut from chp 9. Two het pairings and one yaoi pairing. Amber is a human Relations officer that takes no crap, and falls on her ass into love. Ethan get's the attention of an Angaran war hero who is more than he seems. Sasava is a sweet Asari with a boss from hell. All OC's are paired with Angara males.
1. Chapter 1

Ambassador Rialla smiled and kept her true opinion to herself as Director Tann paced back and forth in her office. He had once again decided to make her job very difficult. At first she thought the Salarian didn't understand the significance of the Vesaal, but now she realised he just didn't care. In his book it wasn't the initiative's problem. He offered to allow any of the Angara that wanted to join the Nexus to migrate there, and therefore he could conduct himself guilt free of their impact here. Despite making a strong recommendation that the ambassadorial team on Aya should remain small due to the Vesaal, he went and hired her not just an assistant, but a diplomatic team! That would mean at least three Angara wouldn't rotate from the battlefield to live in their luscious and safe home world.

"-properly and efficiently representing our interests here with the Angara. We may have won Meridian, but the entire initiative can't live there. That means we still need to colonise other worlds in Heleus. Angaran worlds. So it's important that relations are maintained and nurtured here to allow our expansion and greater presence on those worlds."

"Of course Director." Rialla finally got a word in edgeways. "I know what my job role is here. However, I can't stress enough that-"

"Ambassador? I am not here to further discuss your objections. I am here as the first meeting of the Heleus council is to commence here, on Aya. In her infinite _wisdom_ , Pathfinder Ryder has put the Moshae forward as our councillor. The Angara therefore have an overwhelming amount of sway in decisions that will affect all the races in the initiative. That being said." He finally stopped pacing before the stiff purple Asari. "You expect to organise and facilitate such a monumental event on your _own?"_

"Under normal circumstances I understand that I would have a team to-"

"And you _have_ a team Ambassador. They are being woken from Cryo as we speak. I expect them to be made welcome and to be briefed fully upon their arrival."

For a Salarian…Tann could stare you down like a Krogan when he put his mind to it.

"Yes Director."

"Excellent. I selected your team myself. With the approval of other departments of course." He handed Rialla a data pad and put his hands behind his dipped lower back. He was smiling victoriously and Rialla reaaaaaaally wished she could smack it off his face. "Your second in command is Species Relations Officer Amber Jaynes. Human. Your Resources Requisitions Officer is a fellow Asari. Sasava Gaana. And finally your Specialists Exchange Officer is Ethan Queen. Also human." Tann shrugged and turned to face the door. "We have more humans than I know what to do with. Of all of the initiative races to reach the Heleus they have suffered the least casualties by far. I find most of my appointments these days are human." Rialla took a deep breathe and decided not to voice how it wasn't _their_ fault that the Kett attacked the other Arks and decimated the other races numbers. Instead she'd focus on the task at hand.

"Director _please_ I don't need-"

"I will expect a full report on their integration into this base of operations one week after their arrival. I will also read _their_ reports, so don't bullshit me Rialla."

"No sir."

"Good. Now my shuttle is waiting. I have an appointment with the Moshae. If the Angara truly are going to have so much damn influence over us, then I better make sure their opinions of us are as high as possible."

 _Perhaps_ _you_ _shouldn't be the one doing the brown nosing then?_ Rialla thought to herself but didn't reveal the nature of her mind. One thing she learned very early on when entering the political arena was to keep your motives and opinions to yourself whenever possible. Especially when the subject is hostile. _Or an arsehole._ "Good day Ambassador. Do us proud."

"I always do Director." She saluted him, and grimaced only once the door was shut. "Ok. I better start smoothing over public opinion on more Vesaal places being given up to the initiative. And read up on my new minions. By the Goddess they better be good at their job. I've not worked so hard these last 5 months just for some cryo fresh newbies to screw it up for me."

Chapter

Two days later Rialla was stood with her arms folded over her chest and thoroughly unamused. The shuttle she'd been waiting for was already an hour late. She had so many reports to file, orders to process and grievances to settle, she _really_ didn't have time to stand around. The purple Asari found her internal grumbles interrupted when she saw a very welcome acquaintance walk through the docking bay doors.

"Pathfinder!" Rialla hurried towards her with a big smile. "So wonderful to see you again."

"Likewise Ambassador." Sara had her hands into the pockets of her black combat trousers and shrugged, making her shoulders rise through her green jacket. Her brown ponytail swayed with the movement and her baby blues twinkled with her smile. "I hope you're not working too hard?"

"I'm apparently working _too_ hard." Rialla openly frowned and rolled her lilac eyes. "I'm about to get a team of subordinates to make my job more efficient."

"You don't sound too pleased about that?"

"I follow orders, of course." At that moment Jaal came through the door and made a bee line for the pair. He acted like he couldn't see Rialla and stepped very close to the pathfinder. His voice was hushed and he tenderly extracted Sara's right hand from its hiding place in her pocket. He brought it up to his chest and looked down at her with all-consuming adoration in his big blue eyes.

"Darling one?"

"Mm Hmm?" Sarah blushed but inclined her head to look up at him.

"I will go on ahead. My mothers are likely waiting in hiding like an Adhi pack beyond the main gates." He chuckled at her daunted expression. "They have many questions and yet you must remember it is part of their desire to welcome you properly. They mean well. My True mother wishes to separate you from me of course. So she might grill you accordingly."

Rialla bit her lips and kept the laughter that was brewing inside her chest. The most influential woman, no, person in the entire cluster, and she was terrified of her lover's family. Somethings traversed all species and galaxies. "I will do my best to keep you with me, but it _will_ happen. Rest assured that they already love you, and can't wait to introduce you all of Aya as their new daughter."

"Yeah I know." Sara's cheeks burned but she smiled nervously. Clearly the pathfinder hadn't come to Aya on business. "I'll let you go on ahead and mellow them out a bit." Jaal barked with laughter, showing how realistic he thought that request was, and brought her hand from his chest and up to his lips. Rialla felt her heart melt in her chest when he pressed a tender kiss to her knuckles and winked down at her.

"Don't keep us waiting long. Or a search party will be organised."

"I don't doubt it." Sara chuckled and glowed with love. "Just protect me Jaal."

"Don't I always?" He then swept down and captured her lips, numbing her mind for a moment before retreating. "Don't keep us waiting." Finally Jaal turned to look at Rialla. If her beaming smile could be summarised into a noise it would be 'awwww'. "Greetings Ambassador. I hear you are doing great work."

"Well thank you very much. That complement comes highly coming from you."

"Indeed. I shall leave you in very capable hands." He turned to look at Sara once more winked at her, and strode off towards the main gates; his Rofjinn swaying behind him.

"Well." Rialla held her hands together in front of her and grinned at the loved up expression on Sara. The pathfinder tore her eyes off Jaal's receding back to look at the ambassador. "I take it we're on Aya for a social call?"

"Oh social doesn't _cover_ it." Sara chuckled and folded her arms over her green jacket. "With my urgent need to activate the vaults and find homes for us all I've always been too busy to answer the call of Jaal's family. I always made sure to reply to the emails they sent though." Sara looked off to one side and chuckled nervously. "Their questions were very…personal. Especially from his mothers. Sahuna especially especially. I'm thinking if they can ask me about human child birth in an _email_ then what will they ask me face to face?"

"I wonder?" Rialla chuckled, then looked over her shoulder towards where Jaal walked off to. "Why _are_ you hanging back here?"

"Oh I need to get you to sign this." Sara lifted her left arm and used her right hand to interact with her omni-tool. An alert pinged on Rialla's omni-tool and she soon saw a transfer order shimmering orange before her. "There was an issue with transport allocation. The only way your 'new team' were getting here was by piggybacking on the tempest." Sara shrugged and returned her hands to her pockets. "I was in the neighbourhood and I was coming this way anyway. So when Tann 'asked' I did as I was told."

"A huh." Rialla grumbled as she entered her personnel code to acknowledge the transfer. "Doing as we're told seems to be a theme when it comes to Tann."

"A huh." Sara chuckled and then took a deep breath. "Well time to get stuck into the trenches. See you later Ambassador."

"Pathfinder." Rialla bowed her head with respect and watched the brunette walk nervously towards the main gates.

 _Curious. She's faced Kett, exiles and Remnant death traps and yet she's scared of meeting Jaal's family._

She chuckled once more when the docking bay doors opened. Three bight faced and eager to please looking recruits came marching towards her. Heads high, smiles wide and chests puffed out. _Oh great. Newbies._

"Ambassador Rialla." The human male reached her first and offered her his hand. She took it out of reflex from working in the Milky way and shook it once. _Hmm. Strong grip._ "I'm Ethan Queen. Specialist Exchange officer."

"A pleasure." She nodded and looked him over. He was tall, athletically built with wide shoulders and narrow racing snake waist. He had short black curtains and bright hazel eyes. The body of a man and the charming face of a gentlemen. _He has a dashing smile. I don't trust dashing smiles._ The white leather uniform accentuated his strong form. It had the same panelling as her uniform, high neckline and zipped into gloves, boots and at the belt. He had his top zip down slightly to reveal a black vest beneath.

"Ambassador." The second human took Ethan's place and also shook Rialla's hand. Her grip was more gentle than her colleague. "Species Relations Officer Amber Jaynes. I'm very excited to be posted on Aya Mam. We all are."

"I'm sure." _Too peppy. Her passion is coming across as intensity…then again the Angara might respond well to that. They are very emotive._ The human woman was pretty actually. She was a little on the petite side but had a subtle elegance to her frame and gait. Her long golden hair and block fringe added to her bright sunshine disposition and her steel blue eyes showed that she had a sharp mind beneath her warm aura. "And you are my Resources Requisitions officer?" Rialla took her attention to the Asari and the matron could almost smell the Maiden coming off the younger woman in waves. Youth shone through her deep green eyes. Her skin was a very rare teal colour, and she was also very curvaceous. Yes she would have been a favourite dancer in places like Afterlife and Choras Den. Only the faintest white freckling across her forehead and fringe highlighted her exotic visage.

"Yes Ambassador. Sasava Gaana at your service."

If it wasn't uncouth to do so she'd ask for the young woman's age immediately. _I bet she isn't even in triple figures yet. Great. I have three children to keep an eye on,_ _on top_ _of my normal duties. Thanks Tann. Make my life harder why don't you?_

None of this translated to her warm and welcoming expression.

"Welcome to Aya. I trust your belongings are being unloaded from the Tempest as we speak?"

"Yes Ambassador." Ethan nodded.

"Then you will all follow me to the embassy and you will refrain from gawking at the Angara as we go." Rialla turned on her heels and trusted her little ducklings to follow her obediently.

 _Here we go. Let the games begin. Damn you Tann._


	2. Chapter 2

"So is your head hurting? Mine is." Sasava sighed and sat down on her bed with her folded bedding on her lap. The three of them were allocated to communal accommodation. Not what they were expecting by Rialla had explained the Vesaal to them at length so they were to be grateful to fill the places of those whom had to sell their chance at living on the home world to accommodate them. Therefore they would live as the Angara would have done and be grateful for it. Rialla's words…

"I know. I read the mission brief five times before setting off from the Nexus but there was so much information I didn't know before the ambassador lectured us. I already feel guilty about taking someone else's place."

"But at least they have gone to the Nexus instead?" Sasava offered, choosing to rest a moment and watch Amber as she made her bed instead. The rooms were metallic and minimalistic in nature. The women were to share a one bedroom apartment. Two single beds lined either side of the bedroom, but it wasn't as small is it could have been.

"Yeah. I suppose at least we didn't keep anyone's loved ones in a warzone or anything." Amber dropped onto her made bed and sighed. "I hope Ethan is ok. At least you and I got to stay together. He's been allocated to become roommates with a total stranger."

"Ah you know Queen. He'll talk to anyone. He's fine." Sasava laid back on her bed, her bedding still bunched up on her lap and stared up at the metal slab ceiling. "Rialla looked down at her nose at me. do you think she knows I'm only 84?"

"Don't worry grandma." Amber chuckled and bent forward to pull her suitcase from under her bed. She smirked over at her pouting friend when she flipped the case open. "We were put on this assignment because of our qualifications and training. The director gave us a big speech about how we are his pick, so Rialla can stuff any ageist crap she might be brewing. Just do your job well and you'll be fine."

"Yeah you're right." Sasava turned her head on the pillow to look at the blonde and smiled. "It's nice that we got to stay together though. To think? We went through the fast track training programme on the citadel together, went into cryo together, woke up together and have the same assignment together? What are the odds?"

"Slim, but I'm still grateful." Amber pulled her spare uniforms out of the case and saw the one wardrobe at the foot of their beds. "I'll take the side closest to my bed, and you do the same to yours."

"Sure sounds like a plan."

The women busied themselves unpacking, and reading the many reports Rialla had forwarded to their data pads. They were under orders to read ALL of them, thoroughly, before even _thinking_ of turning up to work tomorrow. "Home work and we don't even start until tomorrow." T-T Sasava whined.

"I'm sure we'll be glad for the heads up before putting our foot in our mouth, and Rialla's foot in our ass."

"Well you would say that. Relations officer."

"Pissing off the natives is a no no. knowing their customs and laws will save our bacon in the long and short run. Trust me."

"I bet _Ethan_ isn't getting square eyes reading all these reports."

"He is if he knows what's good for him."

"Ethan Queen?"

"That's me." Ethan stood in front of the open doorway to what should be his new home. The other occupant of the room however was blocking the way and regarding him intently. "May I know your name?" His new roommate was blocking his way and didn't seem to be impressed with having a human roomy… The Angaran was tall, had pale blue skin, icy blue eyes and black chevron like markings on his crown and either side of his hood.

"Kaffra Dem Voss. Why are you on Aya?" Ethan smiled, amused by how blunt his first Angaran encounter was turning out to be.

"I am the new Specialist Exchange officer. I work in Ambassador Rialla's office. At least I _will_ tomorrow. That's my first day."

"And what does a specialist Exchange officer _do_?"

"I'm more than happy to tell you." Ethan made sure to smile and put his hands on his hips. "But can I tell you inside? I've come a long way and I'm still feeling the after effects of waking from stasis." For a hard moment it looked like Kaffra wasn't going to let him in. But he retreated into the apartment and allowed Ethan to follow him. Considering the apartment was already someone's home it was very bare. Only a few small plants in pots were here and there, and a yellow throw over the curved sofa showed it _was_ someone's home. "Can I take a seat?"

"Yes." Kaffra walked into the kitchen and pressed a button on a tall cylinder. The universal sound of water boiling made Ethan hope for whatever the Angaran version of tea or coffee was. He eagerly left his suitcase by the door, closed it, and sat on the blue sofa. "Now explain your purpose here."

"I've been sent by the initiative as part of the ambassadorial team working here in Aya. Ambassador Rialla came first to establish the embassy and now we are here to make sure it works well with the Angara. I _personally_ am responsible for Specialist exchanges between our people."

"What does that mean?" Kaffra placed a steaming cup that resembled a small brown bowl on a small table in front of the sofa. To Ethan's relief Kaffra held another cup which he kept to himself.

"That's for me?"

"Yes."

"Thank you very much. This is exactly what I could go for right now." Ethan held it with both hands and brought the cup close to his face. He inhaled and sighed. It was tea. How it tasted he didn't know yet, but it _smelt_ like tea. He took a quick sip and found it to taste like spicy herbal tea. "That's really good. Thank you."

A very faint curve of Kaffra's blue lips showed that the compliment was well received. "MMmm. So to answer your question about _my_ role." Ethan sat back and smiled at Kaffra. The Angara took a seat opposite him. A grey comfy chair from the look of it. Clearly his roommate prioritised comfort over decoration or knickknacks. Something Ethan appreciated. "There is so much our people could learn from one another. My role is to facilitate that exchange."

"Such as?"

"Knowledge? Training? Technology? Medicine? And of course agriculture." Ethan took another sip of his tea and relaxed into the sofa. The initial hostility he felt from Kaffra had gone now. Talking over tea was a good sign, he felt. "I take requests of that nature from both the initiative _and_ the Angara, and approach the other party to do my best to make it happen. For example I know one of my first jobs tomorrow is to respond to a weapons schematics request."

"Of course you would want our weapons." Kaffra sneered; his icy blue eyes getting colder. Ethan simply chuckled and shook his head.

"Actually several of the resistance fighters have worked with the pathfinder's team. They have asked for the designs for some of the milky way assault rifles and sniper rifles to be made available to them."

Kaffra opened his mouth once, closed it, and then sighed.

"I see. Forgive my assumption. Will you allow this exchange?"

"It's not about if I _allow_ it." Ethan held the cup in both hands on his lap and enjoyed the exchange _they_ were having. "I don't make the decision if an exchange takes place, I just try to get the best deal so it _can_ happen. Work out the logistics and jump through the hoops to get it done. I negotiate with both sides to get the best deal for everyone. Sometimes I'll be able to get a gifted exchange, other times it will be a trade. But it's not just about goods. That's really where the Resources Requisition officer comes into her own." Ethan sipped his tea, hmmed again, and smiled at his curious roommate. "Another example that's more up my street is a skills exchange. Both our people have scientists that would like to work together. Some want to literally work together on the same projects, whereas others want to swap locations to study under each other's specialists. I get the necessary people to sign off on the movement of personnel, sort out accommodation, wages, transport, and then their assignments. For example I might get the assault and sniper rifles to be sent over in the form of plans, or actual guns to be reverse engineered. Perhaps I'll get permission to get a specialist to come over with the guns to give some lessons in how to best use the guns. Usually I try to get the same deal for the other side. Thus making it an exchange. Like I'll be enquiring tomorrow if there are any Kett weapon specialists that would be willing to go over to the Nexus and test their guns on some new armour we're working on."

"I see." Kaffra nodded and held his steaming cup in both hands on his lap. "So in a way you are a trader?"

"Yes, _in a way._ But not always in literal goods. If an anthropologist wanted to live on the nexus and have access to historical records I'd be in charge of arranging that assignment as well. It takes a lot of going back and forth before I get anything done, normally."

"Interesting." Kaffra smiled for the first time since they met. Another good sign. "Most fortuitous."

"It is?" Ethan brought his tea cup to his lips.

"I am the Trade minister to Aya."

"Wh-really?!" Ethan placed the tea cup down on the table and beamed a smile. "Then that _is_ fortuitous. We'll be working together a lot, I think. I'm more in charge of logistics. Anything that involves requisitioning and purchasing resources will come under my colleague however. She is an Asari called Sasava Gaana. I'll be sure to steer her in your direction."

"Yes, that would be well advised." Kaffra seemed to be much more laid back now. "Your bed is in the same room as mine. It is the one with plain bedding. I expect you to be clean and tidy, and if you want to bring any women home you will ask me first."

"Ooooooh there's no fear of that happening." Ethan chuckled and folded his arms over his white leather jacket.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Kaffra looked very sheepish. "You are unable?"

"Unab…oh no. _Nooooo._ I'm gay. Not impotent." Ethan barked with laughter. He made a mental note to relay this little anecdote to Amber and Sasava later.

"What is that? Is it a type of chastity vow?"

Ethan howled with laughter despite pressing a hand to his mouth. His hazel eyes watered with mirth, but he quickly got a hold of his glee when Kaffra started to glare at him.

"I'm homosexual. Gay means homosexual." Still no change from Kaffra. Clearly that word didn't translate into Angaran. "I'm a man that finds men sexually attractive, not women. To be Gay means you are attracted to members of the same gender."

"Oh, I see. How odd." Ethan panicked, thinking that Angara where either homophobic or didn't have homosexuality. "You have a specific name for that?" Kaffra looked baffled and got to his feet. "Love is love. It doesn't matter the body. Just the mind." he picked up Ethan's empty tea cup and carried it away.

 _Wow. That's very progressive._ Ethan turned to follow Kaffra's form as he walked back towards the kitchen. _At least by the Milky Way standards._

"You mean Angara have _no_ different word for people who fall for people of the same gender, compared to the opposite gender?"

"No. Although it is more common to mate to the opposite gender for breeding, it is not uncommon for mates to be the same gender. We simply call them mates."

"I like that." Ethan smiled and felt he might never want to leave Aya.

"You will of course make me aware before you bring a man back to our apartment for sex. I will make myself scarce. I trust you will do the same for me if I wish to bring a woman home?"

"Absolutely." _I have no desire to see a naked woman thank you very much. Especially making an oo face._ He chuckled to himself and decided Kaffra was alright. "Thank you for the tea. I'll go unpack now if that's alright."

"Yes. Please proceed."

 _Yeah. Kaffra's alright. Just wait until I tell the girls about him thinking I'm 'unable'. Priceless._


	3. Chapter 3

Rialla looked up from her desk and sighed. It was already noon and she was still not used to sharing her office space. The main desk in the centre of the room and facing the vid station was hers of course. To the left against the wall a smaller desk was fitted against the wall and facing the front door. Amber Jaynes sat there. The blonde human was totally engrossed in today's problems. The initiative species were still new to living amongst the Angara and Rialla was bombarded daily with questions about their people. This also included grievances, of which there were more and more with every extra 'outsider' popping up on Aya. Of her three new underlings, Amber was the one she was grateful for. It meant she didn't have to deal with complains and intervention requests anymore. She could focus on the politics of being the initiative ambassador to the Angara. With the first ever meeting of the galactic council to be arranged here, she was actually very busy.

Rialla would never admit to Tann that she'd been snowed under recently being a one woman band as of late, but she already saw how her life had become infinitely easier. She could now spend her time going over the council meeting. Location, security, catering, the agenda. She almost felt like an event planner, but all aspects of this meeting came from the nexus, through her, and then to Aya's government. She was the very busy middleman in this arrangement.

It helped that she could now deploy Sasava to secure the material needs for not only the council meeting, but also to fill the requisition requests from the initiative outposts. In fact, the teal Asari was just getting herself ready to leave the embassy for the first time to do just that. Rialla could tell from all her centuries of experience that Sasava was nervous. She'd smoothed her hands down her white leather uniform three times to check for any wardrobe malfunctions, checked her fringe twice and read her order form more times than Rialla could count. The Ambassador watched her miming something at her data pad in front of her desk, which was to the right of hers and mostly hidden out of the way.

"RO Gaana?" Sasava flinched, but quickly recovered and hurried over to stand before Rialla's desk.

"Yes Ambassador?"

"Is this your first assignment as a Requisitions officer?"

" _Yes_ , but I've trained very hard and I won't let you down." Before Rialla could make her displeasure at having a newbie acting on her behalf, Sasava surprised her. "I've arranged a meeting with the trade minister in 20 minutes to go over my order sheet. I have completely familiarised myself with the business laws here on Aya and know exactly what finances I've been allocated for each other. I only have one question Ambassador." Rialla raised her brow and smiled. True Sasava was young, but she was obviously dedicated and determined to succeed. In fact Rialla was starting to think Tann had the right idea sending her these support officers.

Again, she'd never admit to that. Not even under oath.

"What is that RO Gaana?"

"Would you like me to priorities the outposts' requisitions, or the orders for the galactic council meeting?" Rialla sat back in her chair and drummed her fingers on the desk. That was a very good question. She knew what answer Tann would give, but her gut told her differently.

"Our people need those resources to build and survive on our outposts. Priorities the outposts, and in order of the less equipped outposts. Anything tied to surviving the terrain comes first. As does food and water."

"Followed by medicine?"

"Yes." Rialla noted a relieved smile flash quickly over Sasava's face, before she focused on her data pad.

"I have transferred requests for resistance assistance in guarding vital resources like the water supply on Elaaden to SEO Queen. I will get supplies for water filters and seeds for our farmers and he will focus on arranging for agricultural specialists to train our people how to get the most out of those supplies." Sasava held her datapad against her front with both hands. "I'll get it done Ambassador."

"We shall see." Rialla didn't want the younger Asari to know she was impressed with her. She'd make Sasava work for her approval. "You better get going then Ro Gaana. Remember you represent this office and by extension the Initiative. I expect you to conduct yourself well."

"Yes Ambassador. It's an honour to serve." Sasava bowed her teal head and held both excitement and wariness in her green eyes. Amber mouthed 'good luck' at her, the one and only time she looked up from her own reports, before getting lost in them again.

Ethan got up from his desk behind Rialla, truly hidden from view, and called out to Sasava.

"I'm going the same way as you RO Gaana. Just a moment." He cleared his throat and stood to attention in front of Rialla's desk. The younger Asari hovered in the doorway and waited for him. "Ambassador Rialla? I have just received permission from Superintendent Kesh and Security Director Kandros to transfer the designs for a selection of initiative rifles to the resistance office. They declined the request to send some of our guns but said they'd be happy to send specialists to give instruction once the Angara made them out of their own resources. "

"Not the perfect outcome.

"Ah, but it's a good will gift, not a trade." Ethan smiled with pride. He'd worked very hard this morning, pestering the hell out of Kesh and Kandros until he managed to convince them how a token like this would go a long way to facilitate the resistance helping to use those weapons in their favour. To fight the Kett and defend initiative outposts.

"Oh. You got something for nothing? on your first day? Well done." Rialla was impressed and didn't stop herself in time from showing it. "Well? get to it then."

"Yes Ambassador." He stood to attention once more, saluted her, and then turned on his heels to walk Sasava out of the embassy.

"So you're roommates with the Trade Minister…" Sasava looked at her datapad and nodded. "Kaffra Dem Voss."

"Yeah. He strikes me as being very professional, a bit blunt, but reasonable. Just make sure you answer his questions honestly and don't use our idioms. He doesn't get them." Ethan chuckled, remember the 'impotent' incident. His hazel eyes gleamed with mirth, but he soon squashed his amusement when they reached the Angara council building. It was joined with the resistance headquarters. Unlike the initiative species, the Angara have no separation of military and government. They shared that policy with the Krogan.

"I'll keep to the point and be up front then." Sasava nodded and smiled up at Ethan. "I'm so lucky that you ended up sharing accommodation with the Trade minister, and he likes you. I feel like I've met him indirectly already."

"Don't be familiar with him though." Ethan knew the Asari was four times older than him, but she behaved like she was younger, so he couldn't help but give her advice. Unlike Sasava, Ethan _had_ done this job before. So he was confident in his abilities. Amber had been a relations officer on the citadel but only for one year before she signed up to the initiative and underwent the same training as the rest of them.

"I won't. Thank you Ethan."

"Knock'em down kid." He winked at her, and they parted ways. Ethan walked on towards the resistance HQ towards the back of the building and Sasava walked up to the Trade minister's office door. She took a deep breath and pressed the intercom button.

"Good afternoon Trade Minister. This is initiative Resource Requisitions Officer Sasava Gaana. I'm here for our meeting as confirmed by email this morning." She took her finger back off the button and took a step back so she wasn't so close to the door. A good job to, as he was stood practically in the doorway when it opened. "Trade Minister?"

"Yes. Job role." Sasava looked up into his icy blue eyes and got the distinct impression she'd managed to piss him off already. "But I have a name. Did you bother to learn what it was before coming here?"

"Of course Trade Minister. Your name is Kaffra Dem Voss. I had intended to ask if I could call you by your name after our introduction. My aim was to not cause you any offence."

"Hn." He folded his arms over his clothing, which she thought was very odd. Considering his skin was pale blue he was wearing a yellow triangular poncho scarf and pastel orange robes. They were tight to his tall and athletic build, but the colours just didn't go.

"How should you like me to address you?" despite this little hiccup Sasava smiled brightly. She had to make sure the trade minister left this meeting happy with her. Not only to secure the items on her order form, but also so she didn't get a hiding from Amber for adding to her work load with a complaint.

"I should like you to call me Kaffra. I will call you by your given name. Which one is that? Some of your people arrange their names in ways that are confusing to me."

Well. That was honest. Ethan wasn't kidding about him being blunt.

"My given name is Sasava. My family name is Gaana." Again she smiled and waited patiently for him to let her inside his office.

"You are friends with my new roommate. Ethan." He raised a brow and turned his body sideways in the doorway. "If you believe that I will give you a favourable deal because of this association you are mistaken." And with that he turned to walk towards his desk. Sasava took the open doorway as a sign to follow him and hurried inside. The doors swished shut behind her and she looked around the office. You can tell a lot about a person by how they kept their personal space. White walls, floor and desk. No pictures. No plants. He had a large computer screen and holo-keyboard on the desk and nothing else. His white chair had a high back and was thickly padded however. _he must spend a lot of time sitting in here so he has a decent chair._

"Take a seat." He lowered into his chair and brought up a database on his computer screen to refer to.

"Thank you Kaffra." She spoke softly and lowered herself into a rounded and thickly padded chair. The back was only as high as her shoulders but still very comfortable. She didn't recline too much into it however. Ethan had told her not to be too familiar, so lounging in the chair would definitely be a no-no. A straight back with good posture would look more professional. As long as she didn't look to _tense_ of course…

"I have been told to liaise with you in regards to supplying the initiative. That does not mean you can make demands and expect resources to simply fall out of the sky." Sasava swallowed, her mouth feeling dry all of a sudden. Kaffra was so damn intense. He also didn't seem to appreciate the need for small talk to break the ice. "I am the _trade_ minister. You will trade and purchase our goods. Goods, that _should_ be going to the Angara."

 _He doesn't want to trade with us. It appears that he's being made to._ Sasava cleared her throat and made a point of smiling at him.

"I understand. We of course would come to an arrangement for any of the requisition orders you fulfil. We would purchase the resources with currency or trade for them." He narrowed his icy blue eyes on her and suddenly those black chevron markings seemed to direct her focus towards those hard eyes. "Shall we begin?"

"As we must." He exhaled a groan and looked to his computer screen rather than Sasava. At first she flushed, feeling this was very rude of him, but then she decided she didn't mind. After all, it meant his penetrating gaze was no longer making her teal skin _crawl_.

"As you know we have a number of outpost colonies across Heleus-"

"I am aware." He cut her off with a brow raised. "Popping up everywhere these days, aren't you?"

 _Oooooookay he does NOT a fan of the initiative. Negotiations are going to be difficult when he's so openly negative about us._ Sasava took a cleansing breath and looked to Kaffra with determination in her green eyes. _All our outposts are counting on me fulfilling these req-forms. I will not be deterred by the Trade Minister's prejudice._ Again Sasava wore a polite smile and carried off a cool and collected exterior.

"That is quite true. Thanks to the activation of Meridian and the vaults the initiative are helping to make those words more habitable to _both_ our peoples." Sasava darted her green eyes down at her data pad. "However the process isn't instantaneous. As we have both been instructed to do business with each other I see no reason why we can't make a beneficial arrangement for _both_ our people. With that in mind." She dropped her gaze to her data pad and swipe at the screen with her finger to go to the top of her list. "Let's get to it. I should like to start negotiations for water filters for Kadara and heating towers for Veold."

"You wish to _start_ negotiations by asking for supplies that are vital to the Angara?" He sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his yellow poncho. It took all she had not to pout at the amused look he was giving her. Like she was out of her mind. "Should you not like to begin with something I'm more likely to agree to trade with you?"

"No." Sasava placed her datapad on the desk and crossed one leg over the other. She kept her hands relaxed on the armrests and made sure that nothing of her body language gave away how anxious she was. These supplies were vital to the initiative species too. If she came away without them people could die. She inclined her head to one side and decided that she would take a page from his playbook, and be blunt. "I want to negotiate for supplies that will ensure the survival of our colonists. I didn't come here to gain some _small victories_. I'm here to secure resources that will stop my people from dying. So let's get to it, Kaffra." On the inside she was sweating buckets, but you wouldn't know it from her cool demeanour. "How much for water filters and heating towers. Please tell me the price per unit and we can then negotiate a bulk price. The cost can be credits of other goods. I'm not saying you can name your price, but it's a place to start."

Kaffra narrowed his icy stare at her and regarded the Asari for a moment. She almost lost her cool under his gaze, but finally he smiled.

"We want the necessary resources to produce these goods _and_ make more. Your credits don't translate easily into our economy. For fair warning I will require fair trade of goods in exchange for anything you _requisition._ Water filters will be easier to acquire than the heating towers." He turned his gaze and his smile to his computer screen. "When you ask for heating towers, do you mean _only_ the towers? Or the generators as well?"

"Can you please quote me for both?" Sasava retrieved her datapad and prepared to crunch numbers. She exhaled deeply in her mind, relieved that they were finally progressing.

"I can." They began by haggling over how many tons of minerals would be needed as raw materials to make the towers. They agreed on time frames and signed the initial order forms. They would both need to get final approval from their direct line managers. Sasava wasn't sure who Kaffra answered to, but she was glad to have stayed within her budget. Rialla would be pleased she was sure. Kaffra had been reasonable after all. He only asked for enough resources to build their order and a few additional units for the Angara. "We are done."

"Oh-oh? Kaffra I have more items on my list."

"Then you will return tomorrow." He was still smiling, but she anticipated that he wouldn't be for much longer. "We have already gone over our meeting slot by 10 minutes. I have others waiting to meet with me. Domestic requisitions and merchant leaders." He stood, on his way to show her to the door.

 _Crap. I wanted to talk about supplies to Eos farming stations._ Sasava thought quickly, and only hesitated for a moment as she came up with a solution.

"What time shall I return tomorrow?" Kaffra seemed surprised that she was _actually_ coming back the next day, and rolled his eyes. He returned to his computer screen and brought up his diary. "As your time is precious, maybe I could save you some time by sending you what I'll be requesting so we expedite matters?" Kaffra peered up from the computer screen, still visibly annoyed with her.

"Yes. Do that. I will have to come into work early to accommodate you." He groaned, unhappy about rising even earlier to deal with the alien.

"Much appreciated I assure you." Sasava bowed her head and smiled up at him, finding him stood before her when she lifted her head back up. "Please feel free to email me anything you would like to request from the initiative. This relationship goes both ways Kaffra." He seemed to mull that over, surprised, but then walked past her to open the door. "What time in the morning shall I return?"

"8am."

"Wonderful." She beamed a smile and activated her omni-tool on her left arm. With a few quick taps of her supple teal fingers she had entered the meeting into her calendar. "Until tomorrow Kaffra."

"Yes. Goodbye." He spoke in a tone as if to hurry her, so she quickened her step out of the door. She blushed when she saw three Angara waiting and seemingly put out from waiting. She apologised to them and walked with her head high as she made her way back to the embassy.

 _Rialla won't be pleased that I only got two items off my requisitions form agreed…but I'm sure she will understand when I tell her how short the meeting slots are with the trade minister. And I have a meeting tomorrow. Now I know I only have 30 minutes I'll focus on food shipments tomorrow…_ She walked with a look of deep thought across her face. _…the security around the water supply on Elaaden should be beneficial to both our people. But what will he want in return for food shipments I wonder?_


	4. Chapter 4

_At the same time in the resistance HQ_

Ethan found his hazel eyes drifting around him with a nostalgic smile on his face as he saw the resistance forces training. To the left was a maze with soldiers being put through training exercises with none lethal firearms. That was on a lower level, but to the left was an open doorway that lead to what could have been any training room on any milky way planet. A blue padded mat on the floor with a red ring of rope around the circumference. Difference galaxy, same combat rings. He saw many Angara taking turns to enter the ring and practice close combat skills. He watched them perfecting their knife skills, wielding hatchets, battle sticks and of course hand to hand combat.

"What are you staring at human?" Ethan snapped out of his fond gaze when a resistance soldier snarled at him. Apparently he wasn't allowed to watch.

"I was admiring your skilled soldiers." Flattery normally got him a long way. Usually.

"What would a whipping boy know if skill?" the lavender Angaran sneered down at him.

Ethan smiled whilst the angel on his shoulder restrained the devilish voice telling him to show him who was a _whipping boy_.

"You all look really impressive here. The initiative would love to share training techniques with the resistance."

"You mean you want us to teach you how to fight? It can hardly be an exchange from an _inferior_ military force to train with _us_." Ethan held his tongue and cleared his throat.

"I hope with time you'll see many examples of how our people could _share_ our skills with yours. Right now I'm afraid I must leave you to your training. I need to deliver some initiative weapon schematics to your quartermaster."

"What a waste of time." He sneered and walked through the doorway to the combat room.

 _I'm a specialist exchange officer. Not a soldier. A diplomat. Not a grunt. I can't react to that twat like I would have before._ Ethan took many deep breaths before he continued past the open doorway to the quartermaster's station. Thankfully the quartermaster was more enthused by the prospect of making new weapons than the purple resistance fighter he'd almost butted heads with moments earlier. It took 15 minutes to transfer the plans and have the relevant forms signed on his datapad to confirm the delivery.

As Ethan walked past the combat room doorway once more he turned his head when he heard jovial laughter. If only he hadn't. The same resistance officer from before was swooning into the arms of his comrades and pointing over towards Ethan. Against his better judgement the SEO took a few steps towards the doorway until he could pick up what was being said during this dramatic display.

"'-learn how to defend ourselves. I dropped my gun'. Lot of pansies the lot of them. You should see the sorry excuse they have for warriors. I've seen more grit between my toes than in the eyes of their _best of the best._ "

Ethan felt his inner devil kick his angel off his shoulder and leave its bloody corpse on the floor. Normally Ethan had a calm head on his shoulders, but watching this prick badmouth the entire initiative to his fellow resistance fighters, and for them to laugh and _agree_ with him, it was too much. To his shame he saw red and turned to look directly into the room.

"Well I can't speak for the best of the best." Ethan spoke up as he walked through the doorway. This got _everyone'_ s attention. There were 20 odd Angara training in one way or another around the central ring, yet all of them watched the human square up to one of their own. "I mean our pathfinder who saved Heleus from extinction is a little busy right now. As are our strike teams. Hell, you should _see_ a Krogan merc unit tear a compound open. Something to behold." Ethan held his arms open and looked up with an angry grin at the lavender Angara soldier. Defiance shone in his hazel eyes. "So I can't speak for the best of the best, but I'm happy to have a go." He unzipped his white leather jacket and threw it down to the ground, taking his grey vest with it. This made his short black curtains dishevelled and wild around his face. Without his jacket and vest this left his muscular torso bare. Anyone with any sense would have seen the many bullet, plasma and knife scars and realised that Ethan was no simple pencil pusher.

But the soldier before him was too enraged to be observant. "It doesn't look too difficult." Ethan put his hands on his hips and shrugged. "What rules do you _play_ by? Wrestle to submission? Throw your opponent out of the ring? Points scoring?"

"Knock out." The Soldier started chuckling and pulled his black and grey combat jacket and poncho over his head. He shoved his clothes against the chest of one of his compatriots and walked into the middle of the ring. "Come alien. I will make this quick for you. Hopefully I won't break you _too_ badly."

"Go easy on me. I'm just a civilian after all." Ethan walked into the ring and took a deep breathe. His temper may have gotten him into this situation, along with his pride, but neither would get him out of it in one piece. The Angaran solider beat his chest and jeered to his friends, who responded in kind. Ethan recalled a similar situation back on Omega, but that was against a Krogan Merc unit.

And he kicked their quad all over afterlife. Ethan calmed himself, slid his right foot back behind him, and turned his body to face his opponent with his left shoulder. As he raised his fists to make a guard the soldier charged him.

He almost chuckled at the raging bull technique the Angaran was using. Clearly he thought he would just use a strong sucker punch and that would be that. Give the human a knock around the head and he'd be out.

Alas, no. Ethan brought his right hand forward across his body and rolled his wrist to take hold of the soldier's outstretched fist. In the same motion he pulled on the soldier's hand to send him hurtling past him. Ethan swept his fight foot forward to loop around the stumbling Angaran and took out his back leg. This had all happened so quickly that the soldier hadn't even finished his battle cry before his face was planted into the mat.

Suddenly the hall was silent around them. Apparently _they_ hadn't expected much from him either. Ethan didn't allow himself to celebrate, as the soldier rose to his feet quickly and looked furious.

"We are fighting. Not _dancing_."

"But I _like_ dancing." Ethan pressed his luck, seeing how easy it was to irk his opponent.

"Let's see how you dance when I break your spine _human_." _Very easily, it would seem._ This time the soldier didn't charge without a plan. He got within arm's reach and tried to punch Ethan in the face. He almost succeeded too. He had great reach and had he connected he would have blacked out for sure. At the last moment however Ethan lowered his stance with a strong bend of his knees. The soldier had over committed and left his torso unguarded. With the way their knees bent it wouldn't have been easy for him to kick him either. Ethan had three fluid and firm punches in the gut and ribs before he had to bring his forearms up to block a pair of purple fists aiming for his head. Once they connected with his arms slid his forearms along them, until he braced his arms against the resistance fighter's pecks and armpits. He lifted with his powerful thighs and sent the Angaran to the ground. To his credit the soldier swung one of his legs up to try and take Ethan down with him. With a grunt the human jumped in time to miss the leg sweep and landed in a squat. He took hold of the Angaran's ankles and dragged with the help of his knees and strong biceps.

The spectators gasped as the Angaran soldier was _scuttled_ along the floor, out of the ring and against the floor. To say the resistance fighter was furious when he pulled himself up the wall was an understatement. He held his ribs, snarled, and then ran back into the ring. Ethan held his guard and braced himself. _Steady…steady…and…now!_

He lowered his stance and thrust his fist forward to the same spot on the soldier's navel that he bruised last time. When the soldier doubled over, winded and hurting, Ethan took his feet out from under him with a sweeping kick. The Angaran landed on his hands and feet, but Ethan came up behind him and got him in an arm lock. Even with the folds of his hood to contend with Ethan got a good lock and secured it with his other hand holding his outer wrist. With much gasping and spluttering the soldier fought him for freedom. He tried reaching for Ethan but couldn't take hold of him as he was behind him. Ethan pressed his weight onto the resistance fighter's back and flattened him to the ground with a thud.

At last the soldier stopped fighting, and Ethan released him. The other Angara were stunned to see a human 'civilian' so easily defeat one of their own so completely. Ethan rolled the soldier onto his back and checked his vitals. He was unconscious but his vitals were strong. Everyone could see the rise and fall of his chest, so they knew he was alive as well. What really surprised them was the fact that Ethan stood to attention, and then bowed with respect to unconscious soldier.

"I do not know this man's name." Ethan spoke to the room as he picked up his white jacket and vest. He was a little sweaty but unscathed. Once he'd cooled down he would dress again and hope no one would be the wiser. "Please tell him mine is Ethan Queen, and if he should want to train with me I would welcome the challenge."

"Are all diplomats so well trained?" Ethan turned to see the owner off the voice was none other than Evfra De Tershaav. The Resistance leader himself was stood in the doorway watching the fray much like Ethan had moments earlier. The SEO bowed his head and opened his mouth to answer, only to grimace when he realised who was stood next to Evfra.

"No they are not." Rialla had her fists on her hips and looked furious. "Ethan Queen however used to be a hand to hand combat specialist in the N7 core of the human alliance. The N7's are like your Heskaarl. The most elite soldiers."

"Truly?" Evfra seemed very confused and turned to look down at Rialla. The Ambassador however was still glaring at Ethan, even as he rushed to pull his vest and jacket back over his head. He then ran over and stood to attention before Rialla, awaiting his punishment.

"You were hired by the initiative because you took part in specialist combat training with all the major races back in the Milky Way. That took a lot of organisation, patience and cultural understanding. You're supposed to be helping us work with and exchange valuable skills and resources with the Angaran people. _Not_ get into petty squabbles and embarrass us."

"The only one embarrassed here is Solazu." Another Angaran walked over his unconscious comrade to stand beside Ethan. He was still stood to attention however, and didn't break protocol. Once a soldier always a soldier. "He underestimated this human and assumed he had no skill. Yet he _still_ accepted the challenge and didn't bother to use his eyes or his head."

"Truly?" Evfra chuckled deeply in his chest and placed his hand on Rialla's shoulder. This snapped her out of her glare and she looked cautiously up at the resistance leader. "Then there is no harm done. I welcome anyone to smack the stupid out of one of our fighters. If the challenge was made and accepted, then there is no foul here. If anything I thought that was rather impressive."

"As did I." Ethan was still stood to attention when a green hand waved in front of his face. "What is he doing?"

"He is stood to attention. Part of his military training. At ease Queen." Ethan relaxed his arms and immediately turned his head to look at the Angaran that had come to save his bacon. He was tall, had pale green skin and dark green arching curves on his crown and folds. He wore the regulation black and grey Angaran armour and an ocean green poncho around his neck.

"Ethan Queen. _Hopefully_ still the Specialist Exchange officer to the initiative embassy." He didn't dare look at Rialla as he laughed nervously. Ethan offered his hand and tensed for only a moment when he was yanked into an embrace.

"I am Sanock Dos Veena." He patted his back firmly and then held him by his shoulders at arm's length.

"And you are a resistance fighter?" Ethan smiled up at him. This Angaran didn't have to come to his rescue, but if he hadn't the head of the resistance wouldn't have sounded so pleased with the situation. Maybe he'd be able to use that to save his job once he was alone with Rialla.

"I am."

"Like an Adhi is a mutt." Evfra pulled the green Angaran into his arms and shook his shoulders. "Sanock is a one of our Heskaarl Berserkers. His service is that of legend. He has taken down entire Kett stations on his _own._ With a unit beneath him he's infiltrated strong holds and taken down more Roekaar attack squads than I can count." Ethan slowly smiled with awe up at him. Yellow eyes looked back down at him and seemed to reflect a similar curiosity.

"Since you are an exchange officer and you have many training styles to choose from, would you like to test yourself against me?"

"Yes I-"

"I'm afraid our SEO has many duties to perform. He arranges exchanges. He doesn't participate in them." Rialla put her hands on Ethan's shoulders and guided him out of the combat room. "I'm sure however that he'd be happy to _arrange_ for an _active_ specialist to come and train with you. Having gone through the _correct procedure_ for such things." She released Ethan just in time to give him the coldest look he would ever receive. "My office. Wait there. Go."

"Yes Ambassador." He saluted her and didn't dare hesitate.

Once the human was gone Rialla turned back to smooth things over with the resistance leader and his prize fighter.

"I can't apologise enough for Mr Queen's interference. Rest assured it won't happen again."

"Why? Are we not good enough to have him train with us?" Evfra apparently wasn't offended until Ethan was off the table. "Sanock has offered himself. Why can't Ethan?"

 _Oh boy…_ Rialla saw that both Angara were becoming insulted at the idea that they wouldn't get to benefit from having such a skilled fighter train with them.

"Well…he has duties to perform…but…" Evfra raised a brow, and Rialla felt a forfeit coming on. "…I'm sure we could arrange _something_."

"Excellent." Evfra perked up straight away and slapped Sanock on the back. "Feel free to rearrange your teaching schedule however you like Sanock. Learn much and pass on the knowledge to our fighters."

"Yes Evfra. I look forward to the honour."


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh my God. How do you still have a job?!" Amber chuckled and sipped her drink of whatever the Angaran barkeep had given her when she said she normally drank spirits. It was clear, and burned like vodka, but had a sweet fruity taste. After their first day in the office they had all decided a 'we survived day one' drink was in order. They changed into civis and headed to the nearest bar. It also happened to have some initiative scientists there already, so they knew aliens were welcome. "And why isn't your butt back on the nexus scrubbing the toilets?" Amber chuckled again, feeling the buzz from her drink already. Her crimson lipstick transferred to the glass and her long golden hair was wavy down her back. She wore a simple yet delicious little black dress that would have gotten her much attention had they been back on the nexus and not surrounded by Angara. It was a halter neck with a diamond cut out over her cleavage, a red band across her waist and it curved with her hips to her knees. She black pumps on and not heels, as she wasn't sure about what the terrain would be like when she packed her back 6 centuries ago.

"Because someone very well liked in the resistance wants to train with me." Ethan chuckled and took a swig of his own cherry tasting spirit. He wore trainers, dark denim jeans, a black leather belt and a blue T shirt, looking far more casual than Amber. "Rialla told me that he'd already scheduled our training session for tomorrow before she even left the resistance HQ. With Evfra's backing I'm now to focus on military exchanges as a priority. She was so pissed!" Ethan ran a hand back through his raven hair and chuckled. "She said that I would be back in _cryo_ if she had her way. Evfra basically overruled her, and _accused_ her of saying I was too good for them!"

"You lucky bastard." Sasava gasped behind her hand and couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You mean you managed to pick a fight and wipe the floor with a resistance fighter, in front of his friends, kick his ass, and then get _rewarded_ for it?" true to her heritage Sasava wore a traditional Asari dress. It was white and had silver criss-cross needlework in the fabric. A high neckline, short sleeves and matching elbow length gloves. From either side of her windpipe all the way down to her lower navel was exposed in one strip, except for a band of the dress that held her ample breasts in place and another that covered her bellybutton. This meant her cleavage and toned midriff was extenuated along with her curvaceous shape. It really popped against her teal skin and green eyes as well.

"…I owe that guy a _big_ thank you." Ethan shrugged and sipped his drink. He then grinned and did a fist bump to the air. "Sanock. That was his name. Dang I was so worried that I'd forgotten it." Very pleased with himself he took another sip. "This is good stuff. How was your day anyway?" He directed at Amber who sighed. "What, not as eventful as my day? Not much to do?"

"Oh I had _plenty_ to do." The blonde fluffed her golden mane and rolled her baby blues. "I was just disillusioned a little."

"With the Angara?" Sasava sounded astounded.

"No! Lord no. with _our_ people." Amber grumped and pointed at the other two with her glass. "Nearly every single squabble and misunderstanding I had to deal with today was the fault of one of ours. And they were all stupid mistakes too. If they had bothered to read the welcome pack like I did _none_ of the complaints and disagreements I had to trawl through today wouldn't have happened."

"You mean you thought we'd leave the Milky Way and people wouldn't be arseholes anymore?" Ethan chuckled his ass off and even Sasava giggled at the blonde.

"Well I kinda hoped we would at least make more of an effort to not be inconsiderate and stupid. At least for the first year of knowing the Angara. Maybe."

"Just remember that not all of us are jerks. You only see the complaints." Quite rarely Sasava showed a little wisdom with jewels like this one. "You see the fallout and don't get any compliments sent to you. I'm sure there are far more pleasant exchanges than unpleasant ones."

"A huh?" Amber turned her gaze to look at Ethan with a teasing smirk on her lips. "Ethan, care to tell me how you managed to come to blows with a resistance fighter on your first day?" Ethan blushed and realised that even though he didn't start it, _he_ had been an arsehole today too. Amber looked at Sasava in a very meaningful way. "See? Our best friend couldn't even go one day without screwing up. Thanks by the way. I get to mop up your mess and go and talk to this Solazu guy and explain that you were honour bound to defend your stupid ego."

"I hope you won't phrase it _quite_ like that." Ethan shrugged, not really caring. "Well that's our day. How did you get on with…Kaffra?" Ethan lifted his eyes from Sasava and gulped.

"Well we've started working together despite the fact he very clearly hates me." Sasava sipped her drink and totally missed the alarmed look in her friend's eyes. "You'd think he'd stepped in an Adhi turd or something. 'I have been _told_ to liaise with you', he says."

"Erm, Sasava?" Ethan tried, but the teal Asari was on a rant.

"He looked down his nose at me and glared at me from the first moment he saw me. Like I'm an evil alien here to steal from the Angara. He even told me that I wasn't to make _demands._ He didn't even give me chance to go through my whole list. He gave me a 30 minute slot for the first time he was going to do business with me, on behalf of an allied collective of races. He spent most of the time giving me the third degree. We only talked business in the last 15 minutes and he couldn't throw me out on my ass quick enough!" Sasava was gesturing with her hands in full gossip mode by this point.

"No really Sasava you should-" Ethan tried again.

"I thought the Angara were a passionate people? I've had a better rapport with my _shoes_ than with that guy. The emotional capacity of a rock is more like it." She pouted at Ethan. "You said he was alright and if I was just honest with him and polite he'd be alright with me. But no matter how upfront and nice I was he just gave me the dead eye." She turned to Amber after chugging back the last of her drink and sighing. "After the animosity he finally started to negotiate with me and we got a reasonable deal so he has the _capacity_ to be decent. He either has a problem with all _aliens,_ or just me. I don't know but it _felt_ like it was just me. Amber, you're the relations officer. I tried my best with Kaffra and he acts like he needs a xenobiology lesson in the difference between the Kett and me. What do you suggest I do so he isn't so…mean? I think mean is the word."

Sasava finally stopped talking long enough to wait for her friend's response to her question. It was as she waited that she saw very odd expressions on her friend's faces. Ethan had his mouth in his hands whilst looking like he'd seen a ghost, and Amber had her face in her hands. "…what? Did I talk too fast again? Shall I repeat myself?"

"Dear God don't you dare." Amber looked up from her hands and waved them like she was trying to halt a stampede. "Not a word. Just stand up and walk away without turning around or saying a word."

"…what?" Sasava looked at her friends sceptically. What were they so freaked out about? Her day hadn't been anywhere near as colourful as Ethan's and they were behaving like she'd kicked all the puppies. Sasava then realised that Ethan wasn't even looking at her, but over her shoulder. So without hesitation or apprehension Sasava turned in her seat to see what had Ethan so wigged out.

Kaffra was stood right behind her. Directly behind her. She looked at him just long enough to see how enraged he was and shoved herself back round to face her friends. Kaffra's pale blue lip was twitching at the corner of one side, his jaw was tense, his arms were folded over his chest and he looked like he would start hissing at any moment. The look of outrage in his big blue eyes would haunt Sasava for many a night to come.

"Walk away." Amber slid from her seat and grabbed Sasava's shoulder. "Ethan, move her."

"I would prefer not to get involved?" He begged, foreseeing a very awkward conversation with his roommate later on. Amber turned to glare at Ethan for not doing as he was told.

"You're not getting in involved. I am the second in command at the embassy. You are my subordinate and I ordered you to escort another of my subordinates off the premises to await my judgement. Follow my orders SEO Queen."

"Yes mam." Ethan took hold of Sasava's elbows and lifted her out of the seat. She was in full meltdown mode and barely remembered to breathe. "This way Sasava." He avoided looking or listening to the shitshow Amber was now about to try and deal with on the fly. "It's ok. Amber will save the day. It's her job to." Poor Sasava looked like her mind was in shut down. Ethan had to march her forward like she was a putted by her shoulders.

Once Amber was sure Ethan and Sasava was gone she turned and looked Kaffra right in his icy blue eyes.

"Good evening. I am the initiative Species Relation Officer Amber Jaynes. I'm afraid that what you just heard was a private conversation between colleagues off the clock." Kaffra was looking at her but said nothing. If it wasn't for the fact she could see he was breathing he couldn't have been a frozen statue of rage. "I apologise for any offense you might have taken from what you overheard, but you shouldn't have heard it at all."

"What?!" He ground through his teeth. But Amber had held her own against Vorcha and Krogan alike back at the citadel. So she didn't have an ounce of fear as she put one hand on her hip and pointed up at him.

This was one of the unique situations where she couldn't afford to just apologise profusely for the offence to appease the native species. This time she had to save her friend from losing her job. She decided to use Angaran culture against him and went on the attack.

"I don't know how _you_ were raised, but you don't sneak up on people you _barely know_ and _eavesdrop_ on their _private_ conversations." Amber suddenly reminded Kaffra of his true mother and he regarded her warily. "What you just did was very invasive and I know damn well that it's not customary for your people to behave that way." Amber kept her voice down so their conversation was private, so she didn't shame Kaffra, but she didn't pull her punches either. "If you even _think_ of reporting this not only will I explain _exactly_ how you came about this information, but I'll act on what she said. After all I'm pretty sure the Angara don't advocate prejudice against others just because they're not the same as you."

"I-"

"You heard Sasava? You made her feel like Adhi shit on your shoe. Your manners when dealing with the Initiative Resource Requisitions officer was almost as _vial_ as they were just now. What were you expecting to do _creeping_ up behind her like that? I swear Trade Minister if I hear even the _rumour_ that you've put that poor woman through the ringer again I'll be taking this _harassment_ to your superiors. Am I understood?"

"But-"

"Am I understood?"

Kaffra gulped and thought Amber might just be _scarier_ than his true mother. At least there was love behind the glare of his true mother. Her baby blues were just cold and hard. "Kaffra Dem Voss?" the fact she knew his full name already meant she could easily track down his line manager. Something she clearly intended for him to know.

"I understand." He smiled through his scowl and didn't hide how unhappy he was to submit to her. "Good evening, Amber Jaynes." He nodded to her curtly and stormed off towards the bar.

When he got there he took his seat and gripped his fists on the counter side.

"So? Where is this intriguing alien you wanted me to meet? The Asari?" Kaffra licked his lips and scowled as he turned to look at his best friend.

"Such a creature does not exist Kjaan. I was mistaken. There is nothing remotely intriguing about her."

"Wow okay." Kjaan chuckled and held his hands up like Kaffra had a gun aimed at him. "Didn't she want to come over?" His dark blue eyes were almost as dark as his deep blue skin. From halfway down his nose, down his face and neck, middle of his torso, to the palms of his hands and pads of his feet his skin was cream. "Did you forget to smile again?"

"Drop it." He hissed.

"You know women are more likely to say yes to a drink when you smile."

"I said drop it!"

"But you just spent the last hour talking about-" Kaffra bore into his friend with his cold glare. "Sweet ancestors _alright._ What crawled up your Rofjinn and died?"


	6. Chapter 6

Ethan stood in the kitchen of his apartment and held a metal canister underneath the sink tap, filling it up. Sanock had booked a morning training session with him bright and early. Knowing he wouldn't return to the embassy for quite some time he decided to forgo his uniform for something that would be easier to spar in. Grey trainers, baggy grey jogging bottoms with an elastic waist band and tie to hold them in place around his waist. His white vest would keep him cool and he prepared a 'goodie bag' for the day. After all he didn't know what kind of skills exchange Sanock would have in mind, so he wanted to be prepared. The dufflebag was by his feet and just waiting for the canister to be fully packed.

Ethan tensed as Kaffra walked into the kitchen and turned on the large urn to his left. He wore brown clothes today and the same yellow Rofjinn from the day before.

"Good morning." Ethan tested the waters and turned the tap off.

"…" Kaffra grumbled something under his breath and busied himself making herbal tea.

"Are you ok?" the glare he received was a clear 'no'. "Rough day ahead?"

"Probably." Kaffra turned to face Ethan and pressed his hip against the kitchen counter. They didn't speak last night as Ethan was already in his bed by the time the trade minister had arrived home. Probably a good job too as Kaffra had drank quite a bit and probably would have said something about Sasava to his roommate to warrant another grilling from Amber.

He did not like that woman with yellow hair. "I am meeting with your Requisitions officer in 20 minutes."

"…you are?" Ethan lowered to put his water canister in his duffle bag and put the bag strap over his shoulder as he stood. "Ok. And you're worried about it?"

"No. I am not worried." Kaffra scoffed and ignored his tea even though it had finished pouring. "I am simply not looking forward to dealing with someone who thinks so little of me."

"Oh?" Ethan half wished he hadn't asked. But he had, so now he needed to see it through. Perhaps he could find out why his roommate took such offence to Sasava in the first place? Maybe it was a misunderstanding? Lord forbid, maybe _she_ was in the wrong. "Why do you think that?"

"I heard what she said to you." Kaffra exhaled deeply and turned to retrieve his tea. "She was a different woman to the one I spoke with earlier in the day."

"Isn't it common to let your guard down around your friends?"

"There is letting your guard down and there is what _she_ did. If I had offended her so badly, why did she not say so to me?" Ethan put his bag down and folded his arms over his chest. He also leaned back against the kitchen counter.

"Well she probably feared a negative response from telling you how she felt. After all she has a job to do and you _could_ make it very difficult for her to carry out her duties. If you wanted to. So she held her tongue. And again, she let her guard down with her friends. otherwise she wouldn't have said anything at all."  
"That is worse!" Kaffra gestured with the hand not holding his tea cup. "She would suffer offense and tell _no one?_ Whatever I have done, I could do it again today because she has not told me what it is I do that makes her feel so low. How does that serve either of us?"

"I suppose it doesn't." Ethan couldn't argue with that logic. And he didn't really have the time to explain the concept of professionalism and the work place persona. "If you're asking for my advice I would carry on as if nothing had happened. Drawing attention to the incident will just embarrass Sasava more than she already is."

"She's embarrassed?" Kaffra seemed bewildered as he looked down into his tea. "Why is _she_ embarrassed? I'm the one she spoke so badly of. I'm the one she shamed. Publically."

"To two of her closest friends." Ethan corrected him and put his hand on the Angara's shoulder. "She thought it was a private outlet for her to let out her frustrations without fear of consequence." He then chuckled. "And then there were consequences."

"To say one thing to my face and another in private about me is devious. Are all your people like that?"

"Well it's not as black and white as that. And Sasava wasn't trying to insult you." _ok, I might be about to push my luck, but I've gotta try._ "If you think about what she said she actually asked Amber for advice on how to win you back over. So she clearly cares about your opinion of her."

Ethan held his breath and tried to give him his best nice guy smile. "I tell you. Act as if last night didn't happen and you'll be fine. I have an appointment with Sanock now so I've got to get going." He picked up the duffle bag again and nodded at Kaffra. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Hn. We shall see." Kaffra finished his tea and looked at his data pad. "10 minutes. I should leave as well."

Ethan was panting and skidded to a stop outside the embassy doors. He pushed the button and begged the doors to open faster.

"Mr Queen?" Rialla spotted him immediately and rose from her chair. "You are supposed to be in the training hall. Why aren't you there?"

"I will be there. A quick errand." Ethan chuckled and smiled as convincingly as he could as he hurried past Rialla's desk and over towards the requisitions desk.

Where Sasava was sat. "Dear God woman what are you doing here?" Ethan kept his voice down but the look of alarm on his face was telling. "Get your datapad and follow me. now."

"Is everything ok?" The teal Asari did as she was told and allowed Ethan to hold her wrist and drag her out of the embassy. All while smiling and waving goodbye at Rialla to convince her nothing was wrong. The moment they were outside the door shut however the weight of Ethan's panic was clear in his hazel eyes. "Ethan? What the ma-"

"You need to run your green ass off to the trade minster's office." Her emerald eyed widened with shock and she turned a paler shade of green.

"What?! why would I do that?"

"Because you have a meeting with Kaffra in 5 minutes." Ethan was still panting. "Send him an email right now saying you have been delayed and you're really sorry. Haul ass, get there, and pretend nothing happened."

"Ethan I can't." the thought of being alone with Kaffra after last night made her throat dry. It took hours for Amber to calm her last night and sooth her enough to sleep. And that was in the wee hours of the morning. She wasn't mentally prepared to face him again.

"Oh trust me. Stand Kaffra up, this situation will get a gazillion times worse. I promise. Email. Now. Go go go!"

"But I-Ethan wait!" He started shoving her towards the government building knowing it was a ten minute walk and therefore she'd need to run. "No, no Ethan I can't!" She teared up with fear and pleaded with her friend to stop. "How can I ever look him in the eye after what he heard me say about him?"

"We don't have time for this." Ethan grabbed her wrist and activated her omni-tool. "…running late…apologies…unavoidable…on my way over now…"

"YOU'RE WRITING HIM AN EMAIL?! AS ME?!" She swatted Ethan away from her but not before he pressed the send button. "What have you _done?!"_

"I have _saved_ your green ass. Now go."

"But-" a beep alerted her to an email, and she opened it quickly. the words shimmered orange before her eyes and she exhaled choppily.

 _Very well. I am fully booked today so you may have whatever time is remaining before my next meeting. I suggest you hurry if we are to address another two items on your list. Kaffra._ "Ooooh he's expecting me now!"

"Sasava? Sweetie? he was _expecting_ you before. Had he not mentioned it to me in the kitchen this morning then you would have missed the meeting and he would have laid a fucking egg. I swear. Go. Go now." He shoved her forward again and she stumbled to a stop as soon as she was out of his reach.

Sasava held the datapad to her clad chest and gulped. She hadn't prepared herself to see him so soon. Would he still be angry? Would he bring it up? would he forgive her? maybe if she just apologised straight away he'd-

"What part of NOW do you not get?" Ethan spanked her butt and she leaped forward with a yelp. "You can thank me for saving your job later. Now _go."_

"R-right. Thank you Ethan." Finally she hurried as fast as she could. Today she wore a yellow dress so it wasn't as easier for her to leg it across Aya central like Ethan had. Much like the fashion was on the citadel her dress had long sleeves to her wrists, looping around her middle finger, a high collar and white panel running down her neck to her ankles.

Ethan shook his head and took a few deep breaths.

"I'm so late. So busy saving Sasava's job and now I'm gonna have to go save mine. crap."

Before her hand even touched the intercom button the doors swished open. Kaffra clearly hadn't been expecting anyone to be there as he took a quick step back and blinked at her.

"…I'm…late…" Sasava held her data pad tightly to her middle and wore a very timid smile. "I'm very sorry."

Kaffra regarded her, looking her up and down. She was panting, showing she had run, and there was a tiniest amount of perspiration on her brow. Her big green eyes held a glimmer of fear and oceans of anxiety.

"As I explained in my email I have appointments all day. You only have 20 minutes of this appointment left."

"I understand." He stepped out of the way and she hurried to take the same seat as yesterday. Kaffra frowned. She was so tense. Perhaps she really was embarrassed about what she said about him? Or at least that he caught her. By the time he took his seat Sasava had already opened up her requisitions list, the datapad on his desk, and her hands fussing with each other on her lap. "As time is short let's get straight to work. Our outpost on Eos is finally starting to produce crops. We would like to transport these supplies to our other outposts but we have limited transport vehicles capable of taking those supplies to other words."

Kaffra was listening to her, but her body language was far more distracting. Her breathing was more rapid, no double her pulse was too, and she kept averting her gaze to look at the datapad or her hands. Never at _him._ "You see exile bandits, Kett, and Roekaar have been hitting our cargo ships. We are not equipped to deal with these attacks. Our vessels aren't battle ready and neither are the scientists and farmers who are manning them."

"What are you asking for?" Kaffra sat back in his chair and raised his brow at her.

"I have been authorised to offer some of our food supplies in exchange for some of your resistance soldiers. If they could escort the transports and protect them from attack, then people on our other outposts won't go hungry. A-and you would get some of the food for your outposts too."

 _She is far less confident today. Not at all like she was yesterday._ Kaffra out his elbows on his chair arms and interlocked most of his fingers.

"Soldiers?"

"Y-yes. Also the water source on Elaaden needs protecting. We have our soldiers on it but again we don't have armies to assign. Many were lost to the scourge when we arrived in Andromeda. We're…all endangered species technically." She looked distantly off towards one side. "So we need help." She finally looked up at Kaffra. She couldn't tell if he was listening. He was watching her, mulling _something_ over, but what she couldn't decide. His staring became quite uncomfortable and she shifted in her seat. "I don't think I've asked for anything unreasonable. Protecting the water benefits all the Angara on Elaaden as much as the initiative species. And food supplies are always welcome. I heard Veold was running low on stores."

"Did you now?" He let his arms relax on his chair arms and smirked at her. "Where did you hear that?"

"Any rec-officer worth her salt makes sure to make enquiries as to what the other party might need. Does it matter who my sources are if it's true?"

Now this was the woman he dealt with yesterday. A flare of defiance in her eyes returned, but only for a moment. As nervous as she appeared to be in his presence, she was still determined to do her job. And well, it seemed. "As today's requests involve your military, so I expect that you'll need to confer with the relevant authorities to-"

"I will make _enquiries_. But so far the only thing we gain in addition to what is already _ours_ is some food supplies." Kaffra _also_ strove to do his job well. "The water on Elaaden was ours long before you came to Andromeda. Therefore you need to…" He chuckled. "Is it said 'sweeten the bowl'?"

"The pot, but I get your meaning." Sasava retrieved the datapad and prepared to see what resources she could offer him. "We could talk minerals? Or fabrics for clothing?"

"Those." He pointed over to her arm and smirked. "Omi tools?"

"Omni-tools?" Sasava left her datapad on her lap and activated her omni-tool. "This?"

"Yes. I want the designs to making the chips that those come from." Sasava dismissed her omni-tool and rubbed her neck in thought. this action caught Kaffra's attention, but only briefly.

"I was under the impression that your engineers were well underway making their own version of our omni-tools?"

"They are. However, taking a concept from scratch to the finished article can take years. If you were to provide the plans for an omni-tool then that would shave those years down to months."

"I see." She nodded, his logic being sound. "I will have to ask my superiors for authority to offer those plans in trade. They're not on my preapproved list."

Kaffra brought up his calendar on his computer. Yes, her confidence was as it was yesterday. Like Ethan had advised, it was best to not bring up last night.

…but then again…if she was like this yesterday and was so badly treated…how did he know he hadn't done or said something to upset her again _today_? "When do you have an appointment time available? I'm only here to work with you, so I'm always free." He darted his eyes over at Sasava and saw her smiling at him. Normally he would take a smile to mean the person he was dealing with was happy. But she was smiling yesterday.

"I don't have anything until the end of the week now." he watched her reaction carefully. She chewed her lip and looked concerned. Those food transports were obviously under real threat. "I will know if we can supply the soldiers you have asked for by the end of tomorrow. I _could_ meet with you out of hours to go over the specifics?"

"You could?" Her eyes lit up and she smiled again. "That's very good of you Trade minister. Thank you. What time shall I come back?"

"The office shuts at 6. Come then."

"Thank you." She stood, signalling she was going to leave now they were done. His common sense told Kaffra that he should let her go.

But his pride could not.

"Before you go." He also rose to his feet and walked around the desk to stand before her. "Are you…satisfied with today's interaction? Have I conducted myself _appropriately?"_

"…what?" Sasava's cheeks flushed dark green and she gripped her datapad to her middle. "I-I mean yes, yes of course Trade Minister." She gulped, and darted her eyes over to the door.

"So if you were to talk privately with your friends tonight, you wouldn't think me unkind? I do not believe I have 'stared down my nose' at you today."

Sasava didn't speak. She couldn't find the strength to do so. Instead she just stared up into his icy blue eyes. she did this for far too long it seemed, as she sneered and folded his arms over his chest. "Then I _have_ offended you?"

"N-no. Everything is fine."

"You are lying." He scowled. "You appear distressed. What exactly have I done to you?"

"N-nothing I-"

"You are clearly upset." He leaned forward and really invaded her personal space. He was within headbutting range, let's put it that way. "How can we continue to do business if you will not be honest with me?" Sasava trembled and felt overshadowed by his height and presence. Those icy blue eyes were so intense and sharp as he glared down at her.

"I." she squeaked and slapped her hand over her mouth. Kaffra's mouth opened and he slowly shook his head in confusion.

"Sasava I insist that you-" he reached to take hold of her shoulders, but as soon as his hands came towards her, she screamed. The datapad dropped to the floor with a clang and she bolted for the door. Kaffra stood there totally confused once he was alone in his office.

"…what did I do now?" _…these aliens are so strange…and why do they never say what they mean?_ He grumbled and returned to his chair and held his head. _I bet I see their relations officer before the day is done. I can't believe she wouldn't follow through with her threat of going above my head to bring action against me either._ "Aliens are so confusing."


	7. Chapter 7

_At the same time with Ethan._

By the time he reached the resistance headquarters Ethan was 25 minutes late. He snapped his head left and right looking for Sanock. He felt the barest of touches on his shoulder, and out of habit he span round on his heels. He took hold of the wrist with one hand and grabbed his assailant's shoulder with the other hand. Before he could blink he had Sanock seconds away from being dropped face first to the floor.

"Oh God. Sorry. Reflex." He released Sanock and put his hands up. "I'm really sorry Sanock." The pale green Angaran war hero turned with a chuckle. He didn't seem phased at all, thankfully.

"You are late Ethan." He rolled his buff shoulders and chuckled at the human.

"Oh, yeah I'm sorry about that too. Had to save a friend from herself." Ethan put his hands on his hips and shrugged. "I hope I haven't offended you."

"You were helping a friend?" He seemed amused by something and folded his arms over his chest. "Then I understand. Now you are here shall we go?"

"Go?" Ethan watched as Sanock started to walk away. It seemed he had the same idea about attire today, and wore boots, combat trousers and nothing else. He had a _very_ muscular frame, and was a head taller than Ethan. Something he wasn't used to in anyone who wasn't Krogan.

"We will train in private with no distractions. I wish to learn all I can from you." He turned to wait for Ethan to catch him up and then continued to lead them forward. "I have my own accommodation here on Aya, away from the city. A gift from my people for all my years of service."

"How old are you?" Sanock turned to smile down at the human and winked.

"Young enough to take you. Don't you worry." Ethan blushed and for a moment there thought…no. He was probably reading too much into that.

"So I don't have to worry about breaking you then?" Ethan followed his new training partner to a transporter bay. He watched as Sanock pressed a series of commands into the terminal and waited.

"No. Although, I welcome you to try. After all I don't intend on being _gentle_ with you Ethan."

 _…_ _is he…flirting with me?_ Ethan folded his arms over his chest and raised a brow at the Angara before him. Well he was certainly attractive. Tall, ripped with muscles, covered in battle scars, lovely pale green skin to make those scars stand out, and mischievous yellow eyes. As Sanock returned his attention to the terminal Ethan drank in more of his form and found his eyes coming to rest on Sanock's ass. It was firm and the legs coming out of it were toned and long. He brought his gaze back up just as Sanock turned to speak to him again. "So tell me about yourself Ethan. What kind of life have you led?"

"You want to get to get to know me?" Ethan chuckled. "Do you like to know whose ass you're trying to kick before you bring your boot forward?" Sanock barked with laughter, thoroughly entertained by him. Something Ethan would be lying about if he said he didn't enjoy.

"It matters not if we are simply fighting. But as this is an exchange I should like to call you friend. I can't do that unless I know you Ethan. I will of course answer any question myself that I ask you."

"Alright, then I'm game. Where shall I start?"

"Tell me about your military career. Then why you came to Andromeda. What drives you Ethan?"

"Well gee start _small_ will ya?" Ethan put his hands on his hips and shrugged. "I enrolled in the alliance navy as soon as I was old enough. I was always a scrappy kid and I knew that if I didn't channel my aggression then I'd get in trouble. I was right though. Rode out the hormones and became a fine officer. Or so I'm told." He did a mock bow and again made Sanock laugh. The transporter came and they climbed inside. Unlike the citadel this vehicle wasn't automated. Another Angaran was in the front driving, and Sanock had to give him the address to drive to. You wouldn't know there was a driver however with the way they spoke to each other.

"How did you go from an officer in the alliance, which I take to be the human military force, and then to have many fighting styles?"

"We had an exchange program with the Turians." Ethan sat back in his seat and put his hands behind his head. this made his pectoral muscles flex and he noted that Sanock dropped his gaze for a moment to notice this. "They are famous for the military prowess and had just decided to share projects with us. Building space ships together. Going on special opps together. And then training together." He chuckled as he fondly remembered his first day in a Turian military base. He was so nervous and they seemed so stern towards him. One sparing match later however and he was invited to join them for a drink after hours. "Those guys work hard but _dang_ do they _play hard_ too." He cleared his throat, realising he'd gone off track and dropped his hands onto his lap. "I was sent there on assignment, one of their soldiers came over to my unit, and I spent a year being trained by their instructors. I enjoyed it so much I applied to do the same with the Asari commandos."

"So they play hard as well?"

"Oh, man, _yes._ Those commandos drink and fuck more than the Krogan." He blushed, but didn't panic. Sanock was laughing again and nudged his shoulder to continue. "Asari actually _encourage_ their maiden phase members to go party, drink, shag and dance in nightclubs to get it out of their system. It means that when they go on to have careers they are more mature. Buuuuuuut they are also _experienced."_

 _"_ I bet." They shared a laugh. "Did you have other _specialist skill exchanges_ with them?"

Ethan took his turn to chuckle. It seemed that Sanock could be as crude as they come too.

"Well I wont lie that I wasn't propositioned by a few, but nah. Not my type."

"I see." Ethan licked his lips and thought to himself. _No, you really don't see._

 _"_ I was professional in all my assignments." He shrugged with a smile. "I made a ton of friends though. All wished me luck when I signed up to come here."

"What happened next for you?" Sanock turned more in his seat and seemed captivated by Ethan's life story.

"Well I went over to the Salarians next, which gave me a hell of a lot of practise with speed listening and tech. but then I had to return to the Alliance navy."

"And then you came to andromeda?"

"No." Ethan put his hands on his knees and drummed his fingers. he wasn't one for sitting still for very long. "There were no more species in the exchange programme. I should have returned to alliance duties but I'd caught the _bug._ I wanted to learn more styles. Experience more cultures. In a way I never thought I would when I enlisted."

"So…?" Sanock looked over his shoulder out of the vehicle window briefly, but then returned to looking intently at his company.

"Then I went on a sabbatical. A year out of service, so I could work alongside a Krogan mercenary group. That was _really_ educational. Annnd _kinda_ illegal, but _really_ educational."

"How so? I have seen a Krogan from afar but have not seen one in battle."

"You wouldn't want to." Ethan dropped one knee on top of the other, crossing his legs elegantly and gestured with his hands. "They are battle _machines_. We have a phrase in the Milky Way. If something is hard to kill we say it's like trying to kill a Krogan. They have so many extra organs that shooting one in the gut or chest can mean nothing more than _pissing off_ the Krogan. Hell, those guys have four _balls_ for God's sake."

"…four?" Sanock held up one hand with four fingers and his eyes bugged out wide. When Ethan grinned he looked astounded. "That must be…messy?"

"Wouldn't know _personally_. But I'd assume so." The two of them teetered on that thought for a moment before Ethan continued. It was nice having someone so interested in him and giving him so much of his undivided attention. "Anyway, that's not what I was getting at when I said that it was educational running with Krogan groups. They, like the Asari, can live up to a thousand years. The Asari Matriarchs are all really wise and tend to work in politics and government, or lead their specialist fields." Ethan grinned. "Krogan elders however are just as violent as they were as teenagers. They _might_ lead a clan, but they _do_ still fight shoulder to shoulder with their Krantt. Think about it? A thousand years of battle experience? Man I learnt a lot about dealing with underhanded opponents that don't play by the rules. Sometimes you just have to get the job done and feel shit about it later."

"I understand what you mean. The Kett do not fight with honour. They capture our people, and send our young back with bombs inserted into their bodies. If we do nothing they explode and die. if we try to get to them and disarm the bomb, they die and take others with them." Sanock looked battle worn for the first time since Ethan had seen him.

"Ah man. What do you _do_ in that situation?"

"I shot the child in the head." his voice was quiet and distant, as was his yellow gaze. Pain twisted in those big yellow eyes. "They would perish anyway, but at least they would not suffer or take others with them."

Ethan put his hand on Sanock's shoulder and appreciated how hard a decision that must have been.

"I have been lucky enough to never be in that position. Probably because others like you made that choice to keep me safe."

"It doesn't make the consequences any easier."

"I know Sanock. One day I hope our people will work together to bring an end to the Kett. For good."

"As do I."

They shared a quiet moment of respect when Sanock cleared his throat and smiled. "What happened after you _ran_ with Krogan?"

"Well by that time I had quite the reputation. The alliance hired me back as a foreign forces technical advisor." Sanock blinked slowly at him. "I trained our human troops how to defend themselves against the different fighting styles I'd picked up."

"Ah. Are the races within the initiative not allies?"  
"Oh we are. But all sentient races with free will have criminals and terrorist organisations."

"Like we have the Roekaar." He nodded, understanding the need for defensive tactics. "So you will use the knowledge of my fighting style to inform your people how to defend against the Roekaar?"

"Well in my old job role I would have. I signed on to the initiative to do more than just fight." Ethan smiled, his dream sparkling in his hazel eyes. "I've always learned and taught how to fight across different species, which is why I was hired, but the _role_ I took on would all me to do more than just fight. It's why I left my old job and life to join the initiative. Here I'll help to coordinate the exchange of personnel to learn from each other. Technology. Medicine. History. Agriculture. Defence is important, but so is cooperation and peace. Otherwise, what do we fight for?"

"You are very wise Ethan Queen. I like you. I see what drives you now." Sanock openly approved of him and leaned with his elbow against the seat of the vehicle and rested his upper cheek on his fist. "I promised to answer all questions I asked of you. All Angara are born into the resistance. We all serve a minimum of four years. We can then choose to remain in service or specialise in another area of expertise under the wing of a specialist in that field. I chose to remain."

"Why?" Ethan decided he couldn't be just as good at probing as Sanock was. "Why did you choose to stay in the resistance?"

"I was good at fighting Kett. More so, leading others to successfully do the same. I took pride in bringing home those I served with to their families. For me it not about killing the Kett. It has always been about bringing home as many of my people as I can."

"That's admirable."

"I am not naïve Ethan." Sanock sighed. "Men and women have died under my command to accomplish the mission. War takes casualties no matter how hard you plan, or how hard you fight."

Ethan was captivated by the many battle stories Sanock shared with him. Not only was there an air of certainty about Sanock, but he was clearly cautious. Not once did Ethan get an arrogant feel from the Angaran. He thought deeply about every decision he'd ever made. He acknowledged when he was wrong, and strove to improve. Every time one of his soldiers fell in battle he would visit their families and apologise for their loss. He would also speak about them personally and convey how proud he was to serve with them.

With every tale he told Ethan was more and more captivated by the war veteran. Yet one burning question remained.

"Why are you not on the front lines anymore? You teach other soldiers on Aya before they are deployed now right? Since you're such a great leader, why don't you lead anymore?"

Sanock seemed shocked for a moment, but chuckled at Ethan's conclusion. There _was_ a reason.

"You are about to find out." He pointed out the window as the car pulled to a stop. "Welcome to my home Ethan."

When the doors of the vehicle opened the pair stepped out and walked towards a white metal building that seemed to be large but on one level. It was built into a mountain side, so much have been significantly reinforced to maintain that level of weight pressing down on it. very defendable however. There was no other way of reaching the house other than shuttle, and there were cameras on the outside that moved to detect them immediately. "Come Ethan. Come."

Sanock walked ahead of the SEO and entered a command code into the panel on the door. The door opened and he waved Ethan to follow him.

The inside reminded him of central Aya significantly. It was all made of the same white metal, with plants everywhere and soft circular lighting in the ceiling. However, there were many certificates and medals of valour, weapons that were both Kett, Angaran and some that were initiative hung on the walls. "Teefa?" Sanock called out, and before Ethan could ask who he was calling out to, a young female Angara ran into the room. she collided with his stomach head first and Sanock embraced her with a tender smile on his face.

"Father? Who is this alien with you?"

"He is Ethan Queen. He is human, and more importantly he is my friend." Sanock gripped her shoulders and moved her to stand before him and face Ethan. Her skin was a soft pink colour with darker pink skin on her crown and folds. Her eyes were yellow, like Sanock's, and he realised what was happening. He was being introduced to Sanock's daughter.

"Well hello Teefa." Ethan lowered to one knee to be less intimidating. For all he knew he was the first alien species the young girl had ever seen. "Please call me Ethan."

"…greetings…" She blushed and turned to look up at her father. Her clothes were a pastel yellow and she wore a fabric hood over her folds. Ethan smiled. She looked so timid and delicate. "Why have you brought… _Ethan_ here farther?"

"Because we are going to train together and learn from each other. Ethan Queen is a mighty warrior amongst his people." Sanock patted her head and smiled down at his daughter with devotion.

"Well I-"

"I have personally seen him in battle and can attest to his skill. I am eager to learn all I can from Ethan. So we will be in the training room for most of the day." He then looked up Ethan and nodded. "Just a moment."

"Sure."

Sanock walked his daughter over to what looked like a livingroom. A long blue sofa curved like a crescent moon around a large curved screen. He sat with her on it and they seemed to discuss something on a datapad.

Ethan folded his arms and beamed a smile at the pair of them. It was such a tender exchange. _I wonder what they are talking about? Is it her homework? Is he reassuring her about having an alien in her house? Is he answering questions about me to her?_

He turned his head to look around and saw pictures of Teefa at various ages. Most with Sanock, but some without him. Unable to control his curiosity Ethan walked over to a cabinet and picked up a frame with a picture of Teefa as a baby in Sanock's arms. _Oh she's so cute. A pink little podgy bundle in his arms. And he looks so happy. But he's crying? Probably tears of joy._ He put that picture down and picked up another. _Wow, that's a little unexpected._ Teefa had a small pistol in her right hand and a junior sharpshooter trophy in her left hand, being held up in the air by a proudly grinning Sanock. _Growing up in the resistance must make this pretty common place. I wonder if combat studies are part of their normal school education? The Angara are technically at war with the Kett, so it would make sense to teach their young to fight._

"That was last month." Ethan yelped and held the picture frame to his chest for fear of dropping it. "Oh? Did you not hear me sneaking up on you?"

"I'm not in battle mode at the moment." Ethan pouted up at Sanock, who was smirking at him like he'd won a small victory by spooking him like that. "Just you wait until I get you in that training room." Ethan chuckled, and replaced the picture. "Such a lovely memory."

"Yes. All of my memories of my daughter are both lovely and proud." Sanock put his hand on Ethan's shoulder and led him towards a door at the other side of the living room. "I love her dearly, and she will make me very proud. I train her hard even at this age so I can rest easier than most parents when it becomes her turn to serve in the resistance." Ethan felt a pang of sadness as he thought of that little girl having to fight against the monstrous enemy they faced. "And from the look on your face you understand. Good. The rest of my family wish for me to allow her more of a childhood, but I'd prefer her to make it to adulthood." He stopped them just before the door and turned to smile at his little girl on the couch. "If you need anything just knock on the door and wait for an answer. Please don't interrupt daddy and his friend unless you have to. We could get hurt if you distract us unnecessarily."

"Yes father." She smiled brightly and nodded once before returning her gaze to her datapad. She sat on the sofa and turned to face away from them once more. Whatever Sanock had said to her had reassured her to the presence of an alien in her home, clearly.

Ethan allowed Sanock to guide him with both hands on his shoulders through the door and into the training room. This room was made of the same white metal as the rest of the house, and was covered in more weapons than the living accommodations. If that was possible. There were more than just guns mounted on the wall. Staffs, naginata, or at least the Angaran version of them, daggers and clubs were mounted and not one had dust on them. Meaning Sanock had a very diligent maid, or all the weapons were used _regularly._

"Please stretch yourself off in preparation. We shall begin shortly Ethan."

"Alright."

Ethan found himself left to one side of the hall to ready himself. He really should be stretching off…but he found he was stealing glances over at Sanock to see how _he_ was stretching off.

 _Well at least I have an answer to my earlier question. He wasn't flirting with me earlier. If he has a daughter then he must have a spouse. Or he did. At any rate it means he's straight. He's just playful, clearly._

With that in mind he shoved any sexual curiosity about his host out of his mind, as that would clearly be a waste of time. He instead stopped taking in the arches of Sanock's back and shoulders as he stretched off, and instead focused on his own warm up.

"Are you ready Ethan Queen?"

"I'm ready to give you a hiding." Ethan grinned. He might like the fact that he wasn't just a battle expert now, but his lust for the fight hadn't _entirely_ left him. "Are you ready for _me,_ Sanock? I won't hold back."

"I would be disappointed if you did." 

"Then come get some." Ethan grinned, and exhaled deeply. His stance was strong and excitement shone in his hazel eyes. "If you're brave enough. I apologise in advance for bruising your precious war hero backside. And your ego _will_ hurt in the morning."

"So many promises Ethan Queen." Sanock grinned with equal hunger for the challenge, and began to cautiously approach his opponent. "I hope you won't leave me wanting."

"I've been called many things." _If he wants to be playful, I can play._ Ethan licked his lips and winked at Sanock. "But I've never left anyone unsatisfied."

They both leapt forward at the last moment and couldn't wait to find out who was the better soldier. Would they be an equal match? Would one be the obvious victor over the other? They were about to find out.


	8. Chapter 8

"What?" Ethan groaned, his left temple cradled to a cool pack by one hand, and his right temple pressed down against his desk in his chair. "No thank you. I'm going to nurse my wounds _right_ here."

"If you were that bad you should have stayed at home." Amber shook her head, stood over him and not giving him an ounce of sympathy. Like he had a hangover, not a gazillion bruises. "You didn't need to go at it so vigorously with Commander Sanock." She put her hands on her hips and exhaled at him disapprovingly.

"Yes I did." He groaned, his hazel eyes closed and whining in pain. "He didn't hold back. I had to do the same or I wouldn't have respected him as he did me. Owie." He pinned, holding his ribs through his white leather uniform with his other hand. "Don't worry. He's as battered as I am."

"Does that mean no one won?" Sasava sat on the edge of his desk, chewing on a jerky stick and patting his raven hair.

"Depends on who you ask." He chuckled, and then winced at the pain that caused to rattle through his ribs. "We were both on our hands and knees at the end of the fight. I say I won because I got more hits through his defences. He says _he_ won because he did more damage."

"Quite frankly you both sound like idiots." Amber ground through her teeth. "You were _supposed_ to exchange skills. Not beat the living crap out of each other."

"We wanted to find out who was better first." Ethan lifted the cool pack off his temple to smirk up at the two women with a black eye, busted lip and swollen grin. "Trust me, I'm better."

"A huh? 'coz you _look_ better right now." Amber threw her hands up and decided to dismiss his state entirely. "Sasava? You're coming right?"

"Oh I would but…I have a meeting with the trade minister." Sasava swallowed the last chunk of her jerky stick and sighed. "Trust me, I would much _prefer_ to come and watch the joining procession, but I promised to see Kaffra after hours to go over the specifics of the Elaaden water supply protection and Eos food shipment escorts."

"Well I can let _you_ off as its work related." Amber nodded to Sasava, who smiled with relief. "You however." She tapped Ethan in the shin with her white boot, and he cringed in pain. "This is your own damn fault."

"Yes it is. No I'm not sorry. Yes I'm crawling back into bed at the end of my shift. Yes I'm sorry….no I'm not really." He chuckled, replacing the cool pack to his temple and wished he could go to bed right now.

"Well fine. I'll go on my own then." Amber pretended not to care either way, and nodded with determination. "It would do the initiative image good to be seen taking part in local festivities, and the ambassador is locked in negotiations with the Moshae about the upcoming council meeting. So it's done to me to represent."

"You go girlfriend." Ethan sniggered and mocked her from his prone form against the desk. An unwise decision, and she kicked his shin again. "Ow ow owwwwww."

"And for the record? You both suck." Amber stuck her tongue out, a lapse in her mature persona, and turned on her heel to face the door. "I'll tell you about it later." She strode out of the embassy with her head as high as her hopes in this endeavour.

"Have fun!" Sasava bit into another jerky stick and patted Ethan's head with the other hand again. "There there. 15 more minutes and you can go crawl into bed."

"A huh."

"Say…" Sasava looked around them, making sure they were completely alone. "Kaffra is your roommate. Could you-"

"No." Ethan moved the cool pack out of the way to narrow his black eye up at her. "I am not getting between you two again. You both clearly care about how the other one thinks, so get to the bottom of it yourselves. I'll tell you what I told Kaffra this morning. I've helped you both up to now, and you've both still managed to get on each other's nerves." He pressed the cool pack down again and hid his face with an appreciative groan to the cool pressure. "As I've not helped matters, it's down to you two to stop pussying about and get on with it. You are both professionals. Be professional." He whimpered at his own pain, rubbing his side gingerly. "I'm out. No more meddling from me. Leave me _out_ of it."

"As my _friend_ I would have thought that-"

"As my friend my _ass._ "  
"Oh you jerk!"

Sasava flushed dark green and sulked back over to her desk. So much for asking Ethan to help her smooth things over with Kaffra. _Damn. I'm on my own on this one. Because I've done a stellar job on my own so far…_

Amber didn't have to walk far before she found the main street through Aya central where crowds of Angara lined either side of the main road. She didn't push her way to the front, but climbed up onto a side wall outside the historical records building. She found that from here she could see over the top of the crowds and to the main road. To her great surprise she could see other initiative species within the crowds, here and there, also attracted to the prospect of witnessing a joining procession. _Good. This actually helps the Angara see us as embracing their culture._ Amber shoved her long blonde hair behind her ears and put her hands on the wall at other side of her thighs. She'd arrived just in time too, as the crowed started to applaud and cheer. _It must be about to start._

"Hello? Can I help you?" Amber tensed, and turned to look to her left to see an Angaran stood looking at her. He had dark blue skin with cream skin over the lower half of his face and neck. For a moment she thought fondly how he reminded her of a sting ray with the way his skin patterns were, especially as he wore cream robes as well, but she didn't dare voice that. His bright blue eyes stared at her curiously, clearly waiting for some sort of response.

"Hello. My name is Amber Jaynes. I'm the initiative species relations officer." She smiled at him and patted the wall by her side. "I hope you don't mind me sitting here. I'm excited to witness a joining procession. Up here I can see everything. Would you like to join me?"

His cheeks flushed blue and he blinked at her a few times. "…unless you don't want to? Don't worry you can answer either way. I'm the one initiative member you really _can't_ upset." She giggled and turned to face the crowed. The cheering was getting louder and she gasped with her hands together on her lap. "Oh wow. I've read about joining processions but the texts didn't do it justice!"

Walking down the street were two Angara. Both wore white flowing chiffon like fabric and they looked so happy. They held hands, walking down the street and followed by many other Angara behind them wearing various shades of blue. The bystanders were throwing blue petals into the street as the couple walked and skipped past them. The volume of joy around her made her skin tingle, and Amber found herself smiling longingly at them. "Oh how romantic." It was like all of Aya were celebrating in their union.

"Do you understand what you are watching?" Amber reluctantly turned away from the procession to look at her company. There was something soothing about his big blue eyes. something trustworthy. Despite being a stranger Amber didn't feel nervous around him.

"Those two have decided to join the same family and become mates." Amber turned to look back at the procession and her steely blue eyes held nothing of her envy. "The family they will both belong to wear blue to symbolise that they are now blood family with both of the joining couple."

"Yes that's right." Amber didn't cast more than a curious glance to her side when he climbed up on the wall to sit beside her. "They are welcomed by all of the Angara during the procession. They will continue to a large body of water to be cleansed and emerge as one."

"Please tell me if I'm wrong, but do you party afterwards _in_ the water?"

"Yes." He smiled at her, and she realised that he was quite receptive to her questioning. "The immediate celebrations do anyway. Most of the joining party will wear something beneath their outfits in which to bathe in, but also to dance into the early hours of the morning." He nodded and also watched the procession from behind the wall. "Does this look odd to you?"

"Oh no. not odd." Amber beamed a smile at the display and sighed happily. "Different, but that doesn't mean bad. Different can be wonderful. We learn from things that aren't the same as we're used to. And it's nice to see that even though our people evolved in different galaxies there are some things that are just universal." She sighed dreamily as the procession moved down the road and out of her sight. "It appears love looks the same no matter where you are in the universe."

"…that is beautiful."

Amber turned to look up at her new acquaintance and blushed. He was smiling down at her and she found herself flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry I'm a hardass normally." She chuckled nervously and shoved a stray lock behind her ear. "But I'm secretly a romantic. Don't tell anyone." She watched his reaction as he raised a dark blue brow and cocked his head to one side at her.

"Why would you not wish anyone to know you are a romantic?"

"Because my job is a lot easier if my people think I'm not to be reckoned with. If they learn I'm a softie on the inside, my life becomes more difficult."

"I see." He chuckled, but Amber wasn't really convinced that he understood what she was talking about. "Will you be going to the lake this evening?"

"Hmm?" She blinked up at him, not sure what he was talking about. "The lake?"

"For the joining celebration." He chuckled and folded his arms over his chest. "The joining ceremony itself is private, but when the night sky reflects in the waters many Angara gather there to celebrate the joy of a swelling family."

"Oh, that must be like a wedding reception. But public. Huh." She chewed her bottom lip in thought. "So is this celebration open to _anyone?_ I wouldn't want to go and upset anyone by turning up uninvited."

"Well there those who are invited and get to join in first. Afterwards you join the waters if there is room."

"Oh I'd love to, but I doubt there would be room for me at the back of the queue." She chuckled, but nodded appreciatively at the offer. He seemed to be mulling something over, but then nodded.

"You are a representative to the initiative?"

"Yes I am." She nodded. _Where are you going with this?_

"Then you should witness as much of our culture as you can. To know us as a people. I am invited. You will accompany me." leaned on the wall with his hands and patted it twice with a smile. "How exciting? Can you meet me here at 8pm Amber Jaynes? With something appropriate to swim in?" She blushed and scrambled off the wall after him.

"Well, yes, I can, but I mean, would I be welcome? I wouldn't want to intrude." From the look in her face she _really_ wanted to go. An Angaran party? First hand? It was an opportunity she couldn't afford to pass up.

"You will be my date." He nodded at her, and ignored the way she blushed up at him. "Don't be late."  
"W-wait." He turned away from her to return to the office behind her. "You-you never told me your name!"

"I am Kjaan Kah Leeda. Cultural historian. I am training as an anthropologist, and the idea of seeing you witness and partake in something as integral to our society as a joining celebration _excites_ me. Consider this a mutually beneficial arrangement. You get to go to the party, and I get to observe you doing so. 8pm. Wear only your swimwear. Don't be late."

He nodded with a smile and passed through the doorway to his office.

Amber blinked a few times at the closed door, and then gulped. For a relations officer, she hadn't seen _that_ situation coming. However immediately she began to formulate a plan of action.

 _I'm sure to do the initiative image a world of good being welcomed to a joining celebration party. As Kjaan's plus one I'll be accepted as a guest. I'll make sure to leave many of the Angara thinking highly of my people I'm sure._

But first, she'd need to get her hands on a swimsuit. In the next 2 hours. She ran off as quickly as she could towards the embassy. She would need to look up what the Angara wore as swimwear so she didn't show too much or too little skin. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass herself, and the initiative by extension by looking slutty or prudish. _Although prudish would be better than slutty, I bet._

Sasava sighed and hesitated in front of his door. _Every time I meet with that man we always seem to end the encounter at odds with each other. Hell I ran away from him last time._ If it wasn't for the fact that she had a job to do and the lives of many colonists relied on her doing that job, she would have happily cancelled this meeting via email and hid under her bed instead. As of this morning however she received an urgent request of fertilisers for the Krogan hydroponics lab on Elaaden. They were running low of vital minerals for their crops. Without them their infants, when they were born, wouldn't survive. They rely that heavily on the nutrition from those crops.

So Sasava took a deep breath, put her bravest smile on her face and knocked on the door. This time it didn't open so suddenly as the time before. Clearly he wasn't lying in wait this time. When the door finally opened Sasava could have sworn Kaffra looked surprised to see her. His icy blue eyes widened and his mouth parted with shock.

"…Sasava?"

"Oh, erm, shouldn't I be here?" Sasava held her datapad against her chest and chewed her cheek nervously. "I checked my email and I haven't received anything to make me believe our meeting was cancelled…so I came…"

"I see." Kaffra took a moment to compose himself but nodded at her. "Come in. I have been given authority to give you one guarded convoy for your Eos shipments per week, and to assign a guard patrol on Elaaden's water source. That is, if you have secured the omni-tool designs?"

"I have." Sasava took her seat fired up her data pad. "I've also been given permission to give you five chips so you can experiment on them." Kaffra sat in his chair and opened up a request form on his computer screen.

"We didn't ask for chips. Do you wish to negotiate for more than I have offered?"

"No." Sasava tapped her teal fingers over the data pad and forwarded the requisitions form to his email account. "I reasoned it wasn't a fair enough trade to give you only design plans to the omnitool in exchange for man power at two sites. It took a while but I convinced the tech team to release five chips from storage." When Kaffra didn't speak Sasava blinked her big green eyes up from her data pad. "I want our dealings to be fair for both of our people, after all." For a moment she saw a flash of a smile across his pale blue skin, but then it was gone.

"Then I will send you the duty roster assignments and we can both have our superiors counter sign the request forms."

"Indeed." Sasava waited for the tell-tale ping of her inbox receiving an email, and then pounced. "There is another matter I'd like to discuss before you go."

"Oh?" He raised a brow at her and leaned forward in his seat. "You have something you would like to talk about?" from the look in his blue eyes it was obvious what he thought she meant. A knot twisted in her stomach and she gulped. "Because I would welcome an expla-"

"Krogan babies." Sasava blushed and cut him off. Her heart fluttered in her chest to the same tempo as the butterflies in her stomach. He looked at her with angry confusion. "It's very difficult for the Krogan to conceive children. And the ones that _do_ survive into infancy require a specific diet or their multiple organs don't mature properly." She tried to ignore the look of disappointment on his face. Particularly when it turned into annoyance.

"It is already after hours. We can discuss this another time."

"But they will die!" She jumped to her feet when Kaffra rose to his to dismiss her. He was a little startled by her sudden animation and took a step back from her. "I received the request today as the saplings the Krogan brought with them from their native planet have stopped growing properly on Elaaden. Despite being grown in what are apparently identical conditions to their old planet. Their hydroponics experts are asking for some of the fertiliser we've seen your agricultural specialists use in harsh environments such as Kadara."

Kaffra inhaled deeply, still put out by her, but exhaled with defeat when Sasava wouldn't give up.

"I am listening. What do you have to offer in return?"

"As you know the Krogan have their own sovereignty within their territory on New Tuchanka. That means that although they are allied with the initiative, they do not answer to us directly. So we can't assign their man power as we could the Humans, Turians, Asari and Salarains."

"Is there a point to this Sasava? It's been a long day." Kaffra still stood, as did Sasava, but he put his hands on his hips and looked wearily at her.

"Well they have made a formal request that I ask your people for the fertiliser to be given to the Krogan. In return they will offer you one of their best Krantt to deploy with your resistance fighters." Sasava nodded and looked up into Kaffra's eyes with as much confidence as she could muster. Considering how testy the trade minister was becoming. Every moment she occupied after their agreed business concluded pushed him further over the edge. "A Krogan Krantt is a unit of top fighters, led by a battle master, and they are very formidable. There is an old phrase back in the Milky Way. As hard to kill as a Krogan." She bobbed her head with eager certainty.

"And…they would offer this unit of their best fighters to our cause?" He held his chin in thought, clearly considering it.

"Yes Kaffra." His name came off her lips like a soft wisp of noise. Something he didn't understand why he noticed. "This matter is urgent. Could you please make inquiries tomorrow at the earliest moment you find? If those crops fail then their infants, when born, will perish of malnutrition."

"I understand." Kaffra nodded. "I will make this request on the Krogan's behalf tomorrow. Only Evfra would have the authority to allow a foreign attack squad into our ranks and be deployed in such a way."

"Oh thank you." Sasava smiled with relief and didn't try to hide it. "I can sleep easier now. I hate the idea of babies starving." She then blushed when Kaffra seemed to stare at her intently. "Anyway I have taken up enough of your time. Thank you again for seeing me after hours. I hope I haven't kept you from anything important."

"But it's ok to keep me from anything of less importance?"

Sasava went from smiling to blinking with shock. How did he turn what she said into an insult? Just _how!?_

"Well, no, but, erm-" she turned to look at the door, and to her horror Kaffra side stepped and got there before her. He pressed the door lock and barred her way to the control pad.

"Our business is now concluded. _Now_ we shall discuss why you are always upset in my presence."

"…trade minster…why have you locked me in your office?"

"Because you will run if I do not." Kaffra smirked, clearly thrilled to have the upper hand at her. "Now I will open the door as soon as you tell me why you think so low of me."

"…are you…serious?" Sasava felt her heart hammering against her ribs and adrenaline course through her veins. She gripped her datapad to her chest like the extra barrier made her feel a touch safer. Though, it really didn't. "You can't-"

"I have never intended to upset you Sasava. Yet clearly you believe that I hold you in the same regard as 'Adhi shit'." He quoted her and leaned back against the closed doors. His arms were folded over his chest and if Sasava wasn't having a minor panic attack, she'd find his pose to be rather enticing. "What have I said or done that makes you think that you know this of me?"

"…well…you _are_ currently holding me _hostage…"_ Sasava chuckled nervously and gulped. Kaffra blinked slowly at her in response. He wasn't amused. "Well… _honestly…"_

"Yes? Honestly?" He stared down at her and seemed to be totally focused on her.

"You're…intimidating." Sasava really wished Amber was here. "A bit…brash?"

"I have never endeavoured to scare you Sasava, but I will not apologise for being cautious with you when we first met. I didn't know if you would do right by my people or make demands."

"But…" Sasava steadied her breathing and tried so hard to channel Amber in her choice of words. "Couldn't you have just asked me rather than being accusatory? And the glaring is a _bit_ off-putting." She even timidly pointed up briefly at his face, which he balked at.

"I do not _glare_ at you!"

Sasava pursed her lips together, baffled at how ignorant her captor was. She lifted her datapad up, a small clink came from it, and she turned the pad round to show him. She'd taken a picture of him with the nostrils of his flat nose flared, his icy blue eyes set to stun with his brow creased and his teeth visible through his snarl.

Kaffra stared at the image and cleared his throat. He wiped his hand over his mouth and lifted his icy blue eyes up to look at her. The teal skinned Asari was still very tense and seemed to be waiting for his response with baited breath.

"I…see. It appears I _was_ glaring at you. I…have been told I can be quite blunt. And intense. On occasion." He put his hands on his hips and inhaled deeply. "But it was not my… _intention_ to have you on edge around me."

"Really?"

"Yes." He shifted on his feet showing his discomfort. "I am easily frustrated however. But I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Then why did you sneak up on me at the bar?" now it was Sasava's turn to look at him scandalously. She clearly didn't believe him as far as she could throw him.

"If you must know it wasn't planned. You were there socialising with your work colleagues." He folded his arms over his pale yellow Rofjinn. "We are also work colleagues now. I intended to be…sociable."

"…how?" Her cheeks flushed darker green as he avoided looking her in the eye for the first time since they'd met.

"I was there having a drink with a friend." He turned and pressed the door release. It opened with a swish and he stepped out of the way. "I intended to invite you and your friends to join us." He kept his face stoic, but she couldn't tell from the look in his eye he was earnest. She blushed harder and felt a little foolish. She was mortified all over again.

"You were coming over to be nice and invite us to join you and your friend…when you heard…"

"Yes." He suddenly looked like he'd quite like her to leave now. He darted his gaze over to the door to signal this to her. "It matters not. I have my answers, and you can now continue to work with me in the knowledge that I do _not_ think so little of you. What you have observed as rudeness is simply my manor. Offence was not intended."

"But-"

"Good evening Sasava Gaana. I will email you with the results of my inquiries on behalf of the Krogan tomorrow. I have no free meeting slots for quite some time, so please email me any urgent business you have. I trust there are no other _starving babies_ I need to be concerned about for now?" if she wasn't filled to the brim with shame she'd have noted the light humour to his words.

"No. We've-erm-covered all the urgent stuff." She walked into the doorway, and turned to face Kaffra. She opened and closed her mouth, but bottled it and marched out of his office. The door swished shut and Kaffra shook his head. If the initiative species were so easy to offend, and so secretive with their feelings, how would he ever make it through his vassal? Would he truly have another 2 years of _this?_

The intercom beeped at him, and he looked to the door curiously. Who would be coming to his office so late in the day? He pressed the door release and had to do a double take when he saw it was none other than Sasava. "Good evening." She seemed nervous, but smiled and held her hand out for him. "My name is Sasava Gaana. I'm the initiative Resource Requisitions officer, or RO for short. I know it's late in the day, so I won't take much of your time, but I just wanted to introduce myself and say I'm looking forward to working together. F-for the betterment of both our people." She was blushing and seemed unsure of her actions. But her intention was clear.

 _She…wants to start again?_ Kaffra wasn't one for games, but he was so mentally drained he didn't have the energy to battle her over this.

"I am Trade Minister Kaffra Dem Voss." He took her hand, but didn't seem to know what to do with it. So he resisted at first when Sasava tried to shake it, but relented on the second and third shake.

"That's how we greet each other in the Milky Way. How would you greet me if I were Angaran?"

There was an evil glint in his icy blue eyes in that moment, but she didn't get chance to question it. he used his grip on her hand to yank her body flush against his. He held her hand between their bodies and held her back with the other hand. "O-oh. Like a hug." She timidly patted his back in return, and when he released her she took a step back. She looked up and saw he was actually smiling at her. Reassured by this, she nodded and returned the smile. "I thank you for all you've done already for my people, and I look forward to doing many great things together. The reason I joined the initiative and left the Milky Way was because I wanted to make a difference and work with new people."

"I see." He folded his arms and his smile started to fade. "Email me your request forms, and I'll reply with a time frame and what we would want in return. Send me your free appointments and I'll see if we have any that match up next week to go over the specifics."

"Oh I'm free as a bird." Sasava nodded eagerly and chuckled. "I know you have to deal with merchants, patents, governing bodies and so many more people. But I'm here just to do business with you. I'm all yours." She missed the blue flush to his cheeks. "So you let me know when you're free, and I'll come running." Sasava was finally feeling more like her bubbly self. She was so scared Kaffra would just shut the door in her face and not give her a second chance, but he was, so she would embrace it. "So just…let me know." She nodded, feeling the air between them getting a bit awkward. "I've taken up enough of your time. Have a pleasant evening and I look forward to your correspondence. Kaffra."

"Sasava." He nodded to her and she waved goodbye as she walked away from him. "…I wonder if _all_ the initiative Asari are like that, or if she's just…"

He thought hard to find the right words for what he wanted to say, and chuckled when he did. "…like trying to take hold of a comet. A wonderful view, but difficult to get close to without being burned."

It didn't occur to Kaffra how close a description that was of _his_ nature. Instead he just chuckled and returned to his office. "A strange…yet interesting woman."

* * *

When Kaffra finally entered his apartment he was shocked to find Ethan on the sofa and his hands on a scantily dressed human woman. Ethan's bruised face darted out from facing the woman's navel and chuckled up at the pale blue Angara.

"This isn't what it looks like." He teetered with laughter at the look on Kaffra's face. "I'm helping to _dress_ Amber, not spend naked time with her. She doesn't do it for me. Actually you have perfect timing." Ethan used his grip on her hips and pivot Amber round to look like a sacrificial lamb before Kaffra. "Give me an Angaran perspective. Does she do it for you?"  
"Pig!" Amber swatted his raven head and stomped off with a huff to look at Kaffra. He blushed awkwardly and still hovered near his doorway to escape quickly if he must. The sting of her hard gaze was still fresh in his memory as he looked at the blonde human. "You know what, actually, maybe your arrival _is_ perfect timing."

"Oh I hope not." He spoke more to himself than anything. "Why?"

"Amber has a date." Ethan got to his feet and pointed at Amber's body. "She's going to a joining celebration at the lake and she's worried about showing too much skin. So I've knocked something together from some fabrics she's brought me. Such a stereotype right?" He ignored the slightly scared look on his roommate's face and chuckled at his own joke. "Well? How does she look?"

"You'd tell me if I was dressed inappropriately, wouldn't you?" Amber stepped towards Kaffra and he took a step back out of the door. "Oh God, am I indecent?!" she wrapped her arms around herself in a panic.

Kaffra dropped his gaze down her body and thought she looked rather…rather like bait.

She wore a dark red halter neck bikini. It had a collar around the base of her neck with fabric covering up her collarbone, cleavage and breasts. It wrapped under her arms and covered the same area of her upper back as it did her bust. Her midriff was bare and her bikini shorts were modest in covering her entire backside and crotch. It clung to her form, showing off her subtle curves and toned form.

"N-no not indecent. That added fabric helps." Kaffra pointed to the semi transparent sarong that Ethan had 'put together'.

"Told you! Don't doubt me. I know what sexy is no matter the species _or_ the gender." Ethan limped up from the couch and fussed over his addition. He had attached three snap fasteners to the bottom of her bikini top at the back. They were close together in the middle and held the red sarong in place over her spine. Then the fabric looped down to partially hide her waist, hips and upper thighs at either side. Each side then drew up her navel and torso to click into place at the bottom of her bikini top. Right below the middle of her breasts. Like sultry curtains they both hid, and showed off her form to anyone who _really_ wanted to look…

"Damn it Ethan I didn't ask you to make me look sexy. I asked to look decent! It was really kind of Kjaan to offer to bring me as his plus one to the joining celebration so I can learn more about Angaran culture. I don't want to embarrass him or insult-"

"Kjaan?" Kaffra took a step forward and blinked slowly. "Kjaan Kah Leeda?"

"…you know him?" Amber blushed and pushed her long blonde hair behind her ears. A tick she had when unsure. "He said it would be good for me as the relations officer to learn as much as I can about your culture. I agree, and I don't want to offend anyone by dressing inappropriately. So be honest with me. Am I passable?" She held her arms up, and Kaffra looked to Ethan for reassurance. With a nod from his roommate he decided to answer.

"Your clothing is appropriate for the joining ceremony celebration."

"Oh good." She smiled with relief and looked towards the door. "Well I better go meet Kjaan. I wouldn't want to be late."  
"Just…" Kaffra side stepped to block her exit. She stared up at him with empty steal blue eyes, and he cleared his throat before speaking. "I _strongly_ suggest you stay by Kjaan's side tonight. He is a good man and he will keep you safe."

"Safe? From what?" Kaffra held his mouth in thought. He smirked beneath his fingers, deciding not to ruin the surprise for her. Oh boy. His grin grew. What a surprise she was about to get!

"From embarrassment." His features were well schooled before he spoke again. "I trust you know what the celebration _entails?_ "

"Not really. But I told Kjaan that and I think that's why he invited me. It's an honour really. I'm looking forward to seeing-"

"Well you shouldn't be late." He kept his face straight as he waved his hand towards the door to indicate she should hurry. "That would be very rude."

"Oh. Right. thank you Kaffra." She smiled at him and waved back towards Ethan before pulling on a pair of flip flops. "I'll give you a full debrief tomorrow! Bye Ethan." She scurried off, and the moment the door closed Kaffra released a deep and sinister chortle.

"Why are you cackling like a cartoon villain?" Ethan narrowed his swollen hazel eyes at the pale blue Angara as he walked past him to the kitchen.

"Because I doubt _very much_ that you will receive a _full debrief_ tomorrow. I should think she won't make it to work tomorrow if she truly wishes to take part in a true joining celebration."

"Oh you guys party hard do you?" Kaffra turned and Ethan was more than worried by the sadistic grin on his face.

"We are a passionate people Ethan. And for the Angara _nothing_ is more passionate than a joining. For the couple, their families, and everyone in attendance. Regardless of her intent, Amber Jaynes is about to have a night that will change her life forever."

"An unforgettable night, you mean?"

"I mean _exactly_ what I said Ethan." He was still chuckling as he took a cup of tea to his bedroom. "If only I didn't have to work so early tomorrow. I'd go just to bear witness."

Ethan stared at the bedroom door long after it shut. Should he be worried for Amber's safety? What the hell did Kaffra mean about her life changing forever? What exactly was going to happen at this joining celebration that had his roommate so amused? _I'm sure she'll be fine. Amber is the relations officer. She's meant to interact with the Angara and their society to bridge the gap between our peoples. She's not stupid. No one is tripping that bombshell up. not a chance._ He reassured himself and decided to take his battered and bruised body to bed. he was taking omni gel packs, but they were taking their sweet time in returning him to top form. _Hopefully I'll feel more human in the morning._


	9. Chapter 9

Amber stood facing the cultural historical office door and leaned back against the same wall she saw on that afternoon. She was early, so she didn't expect the door to the office to open when it did. The Manta ray Angara brightened with a smile and didn't hide the way his deep blue eyes drank in her form as he approached her.

"Amber Janes! You came." He threw his arms wide and pulled her into a firm hug before she could prepare herself. So she stumbled into the embrace, but didn't fight it. she knew that hugging was a greeting for a touchy feely race like the Angara. When he released her he only did so to hold her shoulders and look her over once more with a big smile. "We match. How did you know my family colour?"

"I…I didn't." She answered honestly and couldn't stop blushing.

He was wearing less than her.

Tight red shorts and a red Rofjinn. That was it. And his Rofjinn was more like the neck sleeves Turian's wore, but it was baggier and hugged his shoulders and upper biceps. This left from half way down his firm pecks, his toned abdomen and alllllll those muscles bare for her viewing pleasure. The red material was a stark contrast to his dark blue and cream skin colourings. For a scholar he was very buff. She didn't doubt for a moment with those powerful thick thighs and pumped biceps he would be able to pick her up like a rag doll. It was a good job she didn't try to resist the hug. Because it was _going_ to happen. "This was the only swimsuit I could find. I looked at the Angaran swimwear but my butt cheeks hung out either side, and the top didn't cover my…" She waved her hand in front of her chest and blushed. "So I had to wear a human bikini. A friend of mine helped to attach this sarong in place so it shouldn't move much."

"You look fine Amber." He took one of her hands and held it. "I am glad you have agreed to accompany me. In truth it would have been embarrassing to go alone."

"Would it? Do you mind if I ask why?" She allowed Kjaan to walk her through the streets of Aya, and would have felt self-conscious except many Angara she passed were dressed similarly.

"Not at all. I know you are coming to learn as much as you can of the Angara. I am looking forward to observing you interact in the celebration. You will likely be the first alien to attend such an event."

"An honour I assure you." she nodded with a big smile. "I want you to know if I do or say anything you think is odd or offensive I want you tell me. I've read everything I can about the Angara, but I acknowledge that this is one of the areas that I know little about."

"I understand." He nodded and looked ahead as he led the way. his hand was warm and his grip on hers was firm and comforting. "I am a distant relative of the newly joined couple. Herula and Jax have invited me as part of their extended family. I am sufficiently far away enough on their family tree that I could have declined without incident. Arriving at such events without…company…can be embarrassing. Only the young, the old, and the joined could turn up to a joining ceremony alone and not draw the jeering attention of family members."

"Ah I see. We have something similar." Amber smiled up at him even though he wasn't looking at her. "When humans marry they have a ceremony that the immediate family and friends tend to be invited to. Then there is something called a wedding reception where the more extended family and maybe work colleagues can come to. That's the party element of the day."

"And would you attend such an event alone?"

"Hmm. It's not taboo. But there _is_ a certain amount of pressure sometimes to find a date." She giggled fondly as she remembered the last wedding she attended. "I went to a work friend's wedding shortly before coming to Andromeda. I was alone and all night I had Tiana's grandmother trying to set me with one of the single men there."

"Exactly!" Kjaan's laugh was deep and baritone. She saw his chest move with his mirth, and told herself that it wasn't odd to still be holding hands with him like this. Angara were very hands on with everything. On her first day she had to stand for a picture to be taken for her ID and the photography didn't even try to tell her where to stand. He grabbed her shoulders and moved her into position, moved her chin up and then took the picture. "Family events bring all the meddlesome mothers and aunts out. You'd think it was a sin to be unjoined."

"Wait…" Amber stopped waking and to his credit Kjaan didn't just drag her along. He also stopped and turned to look at her curiously. "When you said this was a _date…_?"

"Yes?" He smiled down at her. "What is your question?"

"You…I mean you _meant_ this was a date? As in, I'm _your_ date?"

"Yes." He chuckled, finding her oddly cute when she blushed and gawped like that. "I will treat you well I promise. You will experience the joining celebration as my date, and I will be shielded from match making relatives. We can simply enjoy the night together without external pressures." He lifted her hand up and patted it reassuringly with his other hand. "We both benefit from this arrangement. Don't you agree?"

"Ooooooh. Yeah I get you." Amber nodded, confident once more. She was _pretending_ to be his date to keep his family from pushing him towards another single attendee. It was a good idea actually. She wished she'd thought of that at Tiana's wedding. Kjaan curved a smile at her and they continued to walk hand in hand. "Is there anything else I need to know about the celebration? Like, if there is a structure to the night? Any times where I need to be silent or say a certain phrase or-"

"I can't decide if you are nervous or excited Amber." He chuckled at her and they left the metal streets of Aya. The road beneath their feet became made of dirt and more Angara dressed in swimwear were everywhere. All heading towards the same destination. Some stole curious glances at Kjaan and his human date, but no one interrupted them. "Or are you both?"

"I am, but I'm leaning more towards excited." She giggled with glee and her cold eyes were filled with anticipation. "Oh please don't let me make any mistakes Kjaan. I'd hate to embarrass my people or insult the hosts. Or the guests. Or you. you would tell me if I said something silly wouldn't you?"

"Relax Amber." He rubbed the back of her knuckles with his thumb and winked down at her. "I swear on my ancestors that I will take care of you." they turned down a path between large red and green plants. They were half way between bushes and trees with a thick stem and large wide flat leaves. Very tropical and the smell coming off them was very sweet. "To answer your question the couple are already joined. They are already in the water, where they swore their lives to each other. Their immediate family stand around them in a circle."

"Were they the Angara I saw in blue?"

"Yes. An elder from the family they join will have initiated the ceremony. This is normally an intimate exchange. They then wait there as we join them to make more rings to represent the wider family they have joined. Then, if there is room, the wider community fills the rest of the space."

"What lovely symbolism." Amber beamed a smile and nodded for him to continue. "What happens next?"

"We are given petals of the passion flower before we enter the water. Don't drop them. When the horn rings out we all release them into the air. They float in the water around us, and then the festivities start."

"And what are those?" Kjaan looked down into her baby blues and enjoyed the look he found there. She was hungry for knowledge and hooked on his every word. He leaned closer to her and brought her hand up. He looped her arm around his and held it there with his other hand. This brought her closer and she bushed at being so flush against his side.

"You will soon find out. Although we won't be taking part in the _main_ event, you'll get to observe if you like. Come. We are nearly there."

Amber felt butterflies blossoming in her stomach as they walked down to the lake side. It was so large she would have thought they were on a beach looking out onto the water. There was nothing secluded about this as a location; that was for sure. Her baby blues locked onto the newly joined Angara in the middle of the water. The lake must not have been all that deep as they were comfortably stood up to their shoulders. They were kissing very passionately and the Angara around them were cheering with their arms up out of the water and fingers splayed. "Here." Kjaan stopped them beside one of many stone pedestals holding a large round wicker basket. Inside were blue petals. "Take enough to fill your fist but to not crush them."

"Ok." She watched as Kjaan scooped up some of the petals first and then copied him. "Is this enough?"

"Perfect." His smile was both dashing and encouraging. What was it about Kjaan that made her follow him so obediently?

"Kjaan?" She whispered, deciding not to broadcast that she was quizzing him about the ceremony. "What's the significance of these petals?"

"They are for the fertility and rebirth of the Angara." He walked them to the water's edge. Many Angara were now walking into the water. She kicked her flip flips off by the pedestal quickly and hurried to keep up with her captor.

She noticed that Angara walking into the lake were doing so in pairs, and none of them were children or elderly. "We are a young pair of fertile people. So we enter first. It's lucky." He must have seen the question in her eyes. She nodded and took her first step into the water.

"OOooo ooo ooo coooold." She yipped cutely and he barked with laughter.

"Trust me. The waters will heat up very soon." He patiently waited for her second foot to enter the water. He was already at arm's length ahead of her. With his biceps he could have yanked her into the water with little effort if he wanted to. "Come, you will get used to it." She shivered as she forced herself to wade after him. Once they were knee deep however she whimpered with sceptical disapproval, and looked up at Kjaan as if wondering if this was really necessary. "You are truly this cold already? We are not fully submerged yet." He seemed baffled at her reaction, but it was freeeeezing cold. Amber's nipples were hardening beneath her bikini top it was that cold. "Human physiology must not cope as well in the cold as the Angara…Here, I will help you adjust. Don't drop your petals."

"I won't but-eep!" Kjaan released her hand only to wrap his arm under her backside and lift her up effortlessly. "Holy crap!" She blushed like crazy, one hand gripping onto his shoulder for dear life and the other holding her petals up above the water. "Erm, actually, I think I'm fine now. You can put me down now Kjaan. Like right now." He had her sat on his damn hip! Like a child! And yet with her legs around his waist like this, she couldn't help but feel this was far too intimate. The heat from his waist pressed against her groin was _so_ inappropriate. Well, not for the Angara apparently.

"Don't worry Amber. I told you I'd take care of you." He held his other hand out with the petals in and walked them both into the water. With every rising inch of the water level she trembled. The icy water made her forget her modesty and she clung to him desperately for heat. Now they were mostly underwater it wasn't as obvious to the surrounding Angara that Kjaan was between her thighs…technically he was… the water level rose to their shoulders and she wondered if she'd even have her chin above the water level had she been able to stand in the water on her own. Kjaan was taller than her by at least half a head she was sure. "Come." He slid his arm from under her to put his hand on her bum and grip it firmly. He pushed her up his body to sit on his hip better, and her cheeks turned the same shade as his Rofjinn she clung to. "It's nearly time. Wait until the horn and then throw them up into the air above us."

"R-right." She nodded eagerly and tried not to stare at his face. She was close enough to _lick_ it if she so wished. His high cheek bones were more obvious at this distance, as where his thick lips and emotive eyes. he turned to catch her staring, so she snapped her eyes over to her hand. "Just up? Right above us? Does that symbolise something to?"

"They are blue, like our blood and like the clothes the immediate family are wearing." He nodded towards the inner circle, which was quite far away from them. "We throw the petals as they will settle around us, meaning that in the end we are all blood. We are all family. We are all Angara. And it opens up the joining to everyone."

"So lovely." She hummed dreamily and looked over Kjaan's head to look at the inner circle. "I can just make them out. I think they're saying something."

"The family matriarchs are likely finishing off the welcoming section of the celebration. The horn will go off soon. Oh, and we are this far away for a reason." Amber turned her head back to look down into his eyes attentively. "The further away you are in relation to the couple, the further away you are in the waters. I'm Jax' distant cousin so I'm likely surrounded by other distant relations, but closer than those who share no blood ties." He looked around them and shrugged. "None of my immediate family are here or I'd introduce you."

"That's very nice of you." she chuckled and then a large horn roared out from the centre of the lake. "Now?"

"Together Amber. 3, 2, 1, now!"

They both threw their petals up to the air. As they fell to the water some nestled onto her golden head and a few on Kjaan's dark blue crown. Much cheering and laughing sang through the air, and then drums began to beat from the lakesides. The party was now underway, it seemed. The beat was fast and rhythmic. Amber used her vantage point sat on Kjaan's hip to look around at the other couples. They were swaying in the water, giggling and chatting amongst themselves. "Well? What do you think so far?" She was still beaming with joy as she returned to looking down at Kjaan. He was smiling up at her but wasn't as giddy as she was. This wasn't new to him, after all.

"I love it. You can feel the excitement and happiness everywhere." She then giggled and picked a petal off his head and showed it to him. He lifted his other hand and plucked a petal from her hair and displayed it mockingly at her.

"You caught more than I did." They chuckled as they picked the petals off each other and dropped them into the surrounding water. The surface of the lake now shimmered with petals and waves generated by the dancing bodies in the water.

"Wha-erm-ok." Kjaan held her bottom with both hands and swivelled his hips between her thighs to have her face him directly. Mounting him like this made her tense and blush. Her hands instinctively gripped onto his red clad shoulders to steady herself. "Kjaan? I can't help but notice that no one else is being carried like this."

"You are still cool to the touch." He shrugged and smiled up at her so kindly she just accepted his word. "When you are warm, I will release you." Amber looked around and no one seemed to be staring at her like they were being inappropriate, so she relented. It was difficult enough to integrate with an emotive race as the Angara without having to deal with their hands on approach to everything. It's their world, their customs, and therefore she'd push aside the conventions she was raised with. The privilege of taking part in the joining celebration was worth more to her than her pride.

"OK. So the couple? Jax and Herula? Are they mates now?"

"Well practically." He blushed for a change, his cheeks getting a shade of blue beneath their usual cream hue. "There is one more thing they have to do to become _joined._ " His deep blue eyes widened like he'd realised something and started to look over towards the lake side. He even took a few steps in that direction. "We should-"

"What do you mean becoming joined? I thought they already were joined?" He blinked, stopping in his tracks and took a moment to realise she wasn't messing with him. She wanted to know. "Kjaan?"

"They have joined minds and spirits during the ceremony. They must now join their bodies." his blush was still deep on his cheeks.

"Oh ok." Amber craned her head to look over towards the central circle. "How do they do that?"

"…how?" Kjaan barked with laughter, stealing Amber's attention back with a pout.

"Kjaan? Did I say something odd? You promised you'd tell me if I said something stupid. You need to tell me." He seemed to falter and then looked very worried.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just…your physiology seems so similar to ours I assumed that when you mate you join your bodies. That they would fit together. But maybe your species doesn't need to interlock to breed?"

Amber's face burned with her blush and she pressed her forehead onto his shoulder. Sex. He meant sex.

"Nope, nope I understand now." She lifted her head up and chuckled through her embarrassment. "You mean making love. When you say joining you mean _joining._ Literally."

"So…do you…?" She was still blushing when she caught his curious gaze. His dark blue eyes dropped downwards, showing what he was thinking. And Amber had to admit she had been wondering if the Angara had similar genitals to humans. Her cheeks flushed harder and she avoided his gaze coyly, showing that her mind had gone to the same place as Kjaan's.

"Humans have female and male genitals. They are _complementary_ in shape."

"Which gender inserts themselves into the other one?" Kjaan at least had the common decency to lower his voice as he went down this line of questioning. He wasn't blushing anymore and seemed really curious. This was probably something the Angara were wondering but not brave enough to ask. They were strong allies, but recent ones, after all.

"Insert?" She scoffed and decided that his curiosity was better sated then left to run wild in his head. the ideas he might come up with would likely be worse. Part of her job was to prevent or correct false rumours about the initiative species. This wasn't what she expected to have to address, but address it she would. "Ok. I think it's better to just tell you. Males of our species have a penis and testicles. And Females have a vagina." She leaned forward and whispered, unable to believe the conversation they were having. When she told Ethan tomorrow he would have a fit he would laugh so hard!

"And are those on the inside or the outside?" She didn't laugh. That was a fair question. Different initiative species would answer that question differently.

"Ok. All the female species I know of from the Milky Way have an…entrance of some sort to their internal sexual organs. That includes the Asari who are monogendered." She blushed and cleared her throat. This needed to be said, so she better just get on with it.

"And all males from you galaxy are the same as well?"

"Hmmm, no." She chewed her lips and could have sworn his hands flexed just slightly against her derriere... "Turian and Salarian males have their sex organs on the inside." She decided to treat this like any other inquiry that came through to her email account. She just tried to ignore that she was currently leg locked around the one asking the questions. "But when they become _stimulated_ their penises slide out of a sheath and become erect. Ready to 'insert' into the female's vagina or similar entrance." _Ethan will lose his mind. Completely lose it._

"And human males?"

"Their sex organs are on the outside." Amber chuckled, still amused by the topic of their hushed conversation. Angara were really open and honest. Kjaan wouldn't have asked if he didn't genuinely want to know the answer. "The human penis is flaccid, so erm, soft and smaller? To keep it safe. But then when they are stimulated the penis elongates and becomes erect from increased blood flow. Ready to…" She then chewed her bottom lip and giggled. "You know." why was she so giddy about this? Was it the subject matter that was making her feel warm and tingly all over? Or her company? Or both? "'Join' with the female."

"And you are female?" she mock glared at him, seeing he was smirking at her in jest. "Of course. Coming back to the human penis." He cleared his throat, looked around them and then raised a brow at Amber. "Our translators are making that word the same, but what _you_ call a penis, might not be what I call one."

"Well I can't exactly draw you a picture Kjaan." They both chuckled and Kjaan seemed to be thinking something over as he smiled at her. "What?"

"Would you know what one… _felt_ like?" Amber blinked at him, and then rolled her steal blue eyes.

"If you're asking me if I've had sex before then the answer is yes." _men. The same no matter what galaxy you go to._ Amber blinked her eyes a few times, her head getting a bit hazy.

"So you _would_ know a penis if you were touching one?" he pressed with a curiously devious grin on his face.

"Yes. I would. Why?" he didn't answer her at first. Instead he kept his left hand on her backside and lifted his right hand out of the water. Amber watched the sudden appearance of this limb quite innocently. He gently took hold of her left wrist and brought it off his shoulder. She still didn't suspect a thing when he brought her hand under the water. It was when he lowered her body into the water a little more and brought her left hand against his navel that she realised what he was about to do.

Her head told her to strongly object and get her hand back asap. In fact her mind screamed at her to do so. But she was hypnotised by the hungry look in his deep oceanic eyes. So instead she didn't resist as he pushed her fingertips past his waistband. With her arm being extended down the length of his body it brought her chest forward to press against his and her face even closer to his.

 _Oh sweet lord. This is really happening. I'm really about to touch his-_

Amber chewed a yip in her mouth and chewed her lips. Her hand was firmly between his legs and he held her wrist to keep her hand there. Pressed against her palm was definitely a penis. One with a generous length and girth from what she could feel.

 _Ok. I can take my hand back now and reassure him that the translation for penis is for the same organ. I need to let go now._

She encircled her fingers around his member and Kjaan hitched a breath against her. But he didn't object. In fact he leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, closing his eyes and revelling in her touch. The hand he used to guide her to his cock embraced the back of her head to hold her close to him. When he opened his eyes they were misted over by wanton need.

"Are we compatible?" his deep voice was more of a growl as he spoke. His chest rumbling with each syllable, demanding an answer with his eyes.

"Y-yes." Amber gulped. She felt very hot now. There was a haze around her mind that fogged her normal reservations from her field of view. It was like they weren't in the middle of a lake surrounded by other Angara.

Had Amber kept her wits about her, she would have realised that many of the couples in the water were doing _much more_ than dancing together now.

"I know we've only recently met, but I am drawn to you Amber." He bit the air in front of her mouth and she mewled. "I was going to take you back out of the water before now, but I'm glad I didn't."  
"M-me too." She lost all sense of reason. Amber feathered her fingers around his cock to free it from his shorts. "I'm-mmm-warm now." She slurred and giggled. She darted her tongue forward and swiped at his lips.

"Since we are glad to be here together, and we clearly like each other-" She stroked his length between their bodies and he keened at her. "-Skutt. We're both compatible. I didn't plan this, but the ancestors have brought us towards this moment. I-I feel the pull. Like you were chosen for me."

"So do I." Amber didn't even know what she was _saying_ by this point. She was just driven with the need to have this man. She pumped his cock again, and he groaned almost angrily with her.

"Now I am sure. Will you join with me?"

"Yes. Yes please Yes." She pinned and gripped his shoulders tightly. He grabbed her red bikini shorts and ragged them over her bubble butt. Feverishly he pushed them down past her knees and then returned her legs around his waist. Her whole body felt flush, like she was in a sauna and she panted like the effort to not proceed was more taxing than anything she'd ever had to do before. Her other hand fisted his red Rofjinn at the back of his neck and she tried to pull them closer.

"You are sure? You wish to join with me?" Kjaan spoke against her face, kissing and nipping between each word.

"Yes!" She cried out desperately, and she wasn't the loudest cry for release in the lake either.

"Then we shall be joined, as my ancestors intended." He gripped himself by the shaft and probed at her groin with the blue head of his cock. It took two attempts to find the parting between her labia. He grunted as he began to push his crown past the entrance. His hands both held her hips as he brought her down on his throbbing cream cock. Amber was trembling with need and revelling in every delicious inch as he sank deeper into her. Her tongue swiped at her bottom lip and she howled with delight. After so many years this should at least sting. They hadn't done much in the way to prepare her, and she was being stretched, but it was like she was already wet and ready for him. Her hands twitched on his shoulders and tried to use her hold on him to grind them together. "Y-you agree to be joined with me?"

"What?" She tried again to generate some much needed friction, but he held her hips steady and denied her. "Yes. Obviously yes, _come on_ yes!"

"Good. I agree to be joined with you as well." He finally kissed her and thrust his tongue into her with almost as much ferocity as he plunged his cock into her. Amber scrambled to get some sort of leverage but she needn't have bothered. Kjaan was totally in control and expertly lifted and dropped her hips in time to his powerful thrusts. Amber's back arched and she released her desperate whimpers to the chorus around her. "A-Amber Jaynes. You are mine." He nipped at her shoulder and dragged his tongue up her neck to her jaw. "Are you mine?"

"Yes!" She was losing her mind. Her skin tingled everywhere. It burned wonderfully where they touched. The need for more was so great she took hold of the folds of his hood and rubbed them up and down as she kissed him. He tasted like sunshine and colours were bursting in her mind every time he filled her to the hilt. His thrusts were powerful, slow, and tortuously good. Pleasure frothed beneath her skin, threatening to bubble over the edge any moment.

"I-I'm yours. Say I'm yours!" he commanded her, picking up the speed of their frenzied rhythm.

"You're m-mine!" she nipped at the folds of his hood to the left of his face, making him moan. "All mine. mine mine _miiiiine."_ She felt on the precipice of release. So close now. "O-oh _please_."

"Then we are joined. Amber K-Kah Leeda."  
"OOOOooooooH!" She threw her head back and rode the biggest orgasm she'd ever had. The waves and waves of pleasure rippled across her whole body as trembled with the force of it. "Yeeeees!" She keened and was numb with delight when he captured her mouth and kissed her hard.

"Mine." He groaned possessively and thought he'd lost his mind in her sweet, tight heat. The way she seemed to clamp down all around his cock almost robbed him of his mind it felt that good. He held her close as he came. His release sparked throughout his body. They clung to one another, panting and thoroughly pleased with each other.

Amber started giggling and nuzzled her face into the space between his neck and hood.

"Mmmmm. We interlocked."  
"We joined, my dear one." He clarified with a chuckle. "And we can do so again if you like." She yelped with surprise and shot her head up when she felt his cock twitch inside her. "The Joining celebrations go on into the early hours of the morning thanks to the passion flower." He nodded to the torrent of blue petals in the water around them. "I can leave you very sore in the morning if you so wish." He smirked, his pupils almost as wide as hers.

She licked her lips and then planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Her hands stroked his folds haphazardly and she giggled with her mouth against his cheek.

"I can't be too sore. I have to be able to sit down on my office chair tomorrow." She broke out into a string of giggles and poked him in the nose. "So be gentle with me big guy. Not too many owies."

"I make no promises." He nibbled on the lobe of her ear experimentally and ground his hips forward once more. She strangled a moan and held onto him desperately. "Our joining comes before your work, darling."

"But-" he kissed her mouth hard and seemed to push whatever she was about to say out of her mind. "Ssssssexy sting ray." Amber slurred under her breathe and cried out when he thrust against her harder than before.

"I hope you are comfortable with bruises. You will have many in the morning." Kjaan picked up a wicked pace and chewed on many of her mewls of delight. "We will not leave the waters until your body can't take anymore. I will taste and caress you to the brink of exhaustion. And then fuck you again. And again, and again."

Amber howled with delight. she couldn't even string together two words. She was a quivering mess of need and passion as they rut together in the lake. Surrounded by equally enthralled couples.


	10. Chapter 10

Amber stood with her entire world in her suitcase, which she held by her side in her left hand as her right hand hovered by the buzzer to her new apartment.

 _Their_ new apartment.

She could hear sounds coming from inside. Kjaan was inside, probably busy unpacking and preparing for the days of closeness. Ethan's comment about this being a sexcapade came to mind. Amber blushed and chewed her lips as she stared intently at the buzzer she had yet to press. Her finger was poised to do it, but she didn't have the courage to carry through.

 _If Kjaan's behaviour today has proven anything it is how committed he is to our marriage. Hell, he even took the bloody liberty of registering my new name. The taxi here wouldn't accept my ID to bring me to the upper wards until I entered 'Amber Kah Leeda'._

Amber lowered her hand and sighed. _He looked so excited and loved up earlier in the embassy. Like a proud newlywed. And here I am scared out of my mind. If he's expecting his new mate to be as thrilled about this as he is, he's going to be so disappointed. I…think that's what scares me the most. How he will react when he realises that this is_ _ **so**_ _not what I want._ Amber rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath. _Not that any of that matters. He deserves to know that I didn't know what I was doing, but I won't dishonour him by rejecting him. I'll just have to learn how to be his mate. Maybe I should treat this like an arranged marriage? Plenty of those work out perfectly well. That aside, it's more than my future riding on this. For the Angaran cultural minister to get involved shows how important the first Angara-alien joining is to them. I will not screw this up and let the initiative species down. We need the Angara to survive. So I'll put up and get on with it._

Finally Amber pressed the buzzer with such vigour, it was like she was afraid she'd change her mind if she didn't do it quickly. She barely had time to exhale deeply and put a polite smile on her face before the door opened.

"Dear one!" His deep blue eyes sparkled and his smile was elated. He was obviously happy to see her. "I was about to come looking for you. I expected you to be home already."

"Well I had to go home and pack." She chuckled nervously and shrugged. It was very hard to concentrate. Her earlier conviction was finding it hard to get past the squealing in her mind…Kjaan was wearing a brown dressing gown…and nothing else. It was open over his creamy neck and chest and dark blue shoulders. She registered out of her peripheral vision that his dark blue legs were also bare. The robe came down to his knees and a cord kept it closed around his hips. _So many muscles…buff chest…mmm…no stop it! focus!_ "But I'm here now so-uuf!" he bear-hugged her with joy and lifted her clear off the ground. The suitcase clanged with the floor and he chuckled at the way she wriggled in his grasp.

"At last you are all mine." Amber stumbled when she was returned to her feet and ushered inside. Kjaan grabbed her suitcase and used his other hand to hold the small of her back tenderly. "Welcome home my dear." He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. So tender and yet the warmth of his lips lingered long afterwards. "Allow me to show you around our new home. We have the main living area as soon as you walk in. The kitchen is open and has a long counter that has a fold out table. It adjusts to sit between two and six people!" He sounded so overjoyed. She could tell from the way he walked her around their home and the glint in his eyes he was already envisaging their daily lives here. Perhaps dinner parties with friends? Family gatherings? "We have five bedrooms." Kjaan walked her behind a long curved sofa waved at a series of closed doors. "I have set up the largest room for us. I even bought a new bed, but it won't arrive until tomorrow. I have covered the floor with blankets and cushions for tonight. I hope that will be alright." He sounded genuinely concerned that she would be disappointed, so Amber rolled her eyes and smiled. He was _really_ making an effort.

"Of course. A new bed sounds very nice. Was it expensive? I can pay for half if you like?"

"I am sure we can come up with other ways to contribute towards the bed." he winked at her and his hand seemed to caress her back. Then he returned to grinning and nodded towards the other rooms. "The other four bedrooms are empty and I'm sure we will find a way to make use of them one day, but for now let me help you unpack."

 _If he keeps yo-yoing this conversation from giddy domestic bliss to sex like this I'm going to get whiplash._ Amber resisted the urge to put a downer on his glee and schooled her features to smile up at him.

"Oh you don't have to do that Kjaan. I don't have much unpacking to do after all." Amber tried to reach for the suitcase, but he was having none of that. He swung it out of her way and yanked her against his other side. Flush against him and with his hand rubbing her back he didn't waste the opportunity. He surprised her with another kiss, but this one was much hungrier than the one he used to greet her. He held her back and kept her from any thought of retreat as he slid his tongue into her mouth and moan against her.

Then just like that he pulled back, again before she could react, and winked at her. F _reaking whiplash I tell you!_

"This is the time of closeness. You and I are therefore meant to be _very_ close. Both physically and spiritually."

"Spiritually?" Amber's natural curiosity betrayed her as she allowed her mate to walk her into the master bedroom. The entire apartment was white and looked brand new. Why they would need five bedrooms was beyond her, but it was certainly very lush. She thought distantly if she would be allowed to add some colour to the place. It was nice, but far too clinical looking at the moment. And the floor was covered in white tiles. She anticipated cold feet in her future if she didn't get a rug or something.

"My spirit will know yours." He dropped her suitcase onto the bed and then sat down next to it. She was reminded once again of his state of dress as he leaned back on his hands and his robe slipped off his left leg. She couldn't stop her steal eyes from dropping to take in the sight of his thick muscular thigh. She dragged it back up his…firm six pack and pecks…to his smirking face. "Well we can certainly start with being physical if you like."

She blushed and turned on her heels. _Oh hell. I wanted to talk to him seriously about our predicament and he shows a_ _little bit_ _of flesh and I'm drooling over him. Damn it._

"Eeep!" his hands were suddenly on her hips and she nearly jumped out of her skin. "K-Kjaan I…I…" He pulled the bobble from her long blonde hair and pushed it over her left shoulder. His lips swept up her exposed right side of her neck and he nuzzled by her ear.

"We have much to learn about each other. I have so many questions, as I'm sure you do as well. But how can we possibly concentrate when we are both so hungry." She gulped as he left hot and heavy kisses on her neck. His hands smoothed up her front and took hold of the zip of her collar. Slowly he dragged it down over her chest and down until her jacket opened.

Amber chewed her lips as he continued to kiss and nip at the nape of her neck and pushed her white leather jacket down her arms and to the floor. "I promised you a banquet." His voice rumbled through his chest and to her back. The sensation made all tension in her bones turn to jelly. He took hold of her fly and worked the button open. "I believe you are as ravenous as I, my dear."

"I-I _do_ have questions for you." Amber turned her head to look up into his dark blue eyes and didn't realise how seductive she looked like that. her steely eyes heavy with desire and her bottom lip moist from being nibbled on. "I-"

Fump.

He took his hands back and shrugged his dressing gown off. "…I…erm…" Her mind was becoming muddled again. And this time she couldn't blame the passion flower.

"We both have much to ask and learn of each other, but right now there is only one thing I wish to learn."

"…oh?" His smirk became wicked as he slid one hand over her hip and down the front of her slack waistband. He knew he'd found his target when Amber trembled and leaned back against him. "I want to learn how you taste."

In Amber's head the sensible and stern version of herself was being hogtied by her horny self. Ethan was right. She was married to a charming and sexy man. There were perks to this union. There was something intense about Kjaan. Stood outside the apartment she was nervous about being close to him again. She was high on passion flower when they romped together after all. yet now with his hands on her she could tell the chemistry between them was not drug induced at all.

 _Perhaps a sexcapade wouldn't be too bad afterall…_

"I-erm-if you m-mean that _literally_ well I've been at work all day so I should probably shower or something." He chuckled darkly and continued to circle the pad of his finger over her clit. He used his other hand to rag her trousers and panties down her hips.

"Perhaps I should give you a tour of the on suite bathroom and the large walk in shower?"

"MM hmm." Amber nodded and struggled to concentrate. She had to reason that Angaran women also had a clitoris for him to know how to do that so _well._ "Which way is-" Kjaan retracted his hand and took hold of the rim of her tank top.

"Hands up."

"Yes sir." She took an almost childlike stance with her arms above her head as Kjaan finished undressing her. He threw the tank top to one side and yanked on the back of her bra. "Oh, I've got this." She chuckled. If she wasn't so horny she'd have allowed him to continue his approach of just tugging on the back of it until she died of laughter. Once her bra was off she stepped out of her panties and trousers and turned around to face her mate. Amber had to chuckle at the look of relief on his face.

"Finally." He groaned as he embraced her. He greedily took in the sight of her and caressed her with eager hands. "I've wanted to touch you again all day."

"Oh?" She chuckled through her blush as he held her so close her hard nipples scraped against his chest. "All day?"

"Yes." His cock pressed hot and swollen against her navel, and the last of her resistance fizzled away. She took hold of his hood with both hands and kissed him ardently. They clung and writhed together with a sense of urgency as Kjaan walked her towards the bathroom. In the end he lost patience and pressed her against the bedroom wall _next_ to the bathroom door and pulled one of her legs up around his waist. "Amber." Her name came out like a deep purr. He nipped at the crook of her neck and held her raised leg up against his hip. "The shower is too far away."

"Ok." She just nodded and clung to his shoulders as he ground her against the wall. "T-too far." Kjaan pined like his need was painful, and he used his other hand to part her slick tresses.

"I will touch and taste every inch of you over the course of the closeness. But right now I am overcome with the need to be inside you again. You must feel the same."

"I must?" She found the strength to challenge him through her haze of want. Even as his seeking fingers swirled over her nub and teased her entrance.

"Yes." he smirked down at her and swiped the tip of his tongue against her lips. "Tell me that you do not wish to feel my cock inside you and I will release you."

This was her chance. She should say, 'well actually yes now you mention it. I would prefer to get to know the man who accidentally drugged me, accidentally married me, and has rearranged my life to play happy homes BEFORE I let you bone me. Again, that is'.

However…sensible Amber was no longer in the driving seat. Sensible Amber was tied up in a cage at the back of her skull whilst Horny Amber hooted on the steering wheel. So instead she mewled and took 'hold' of the situation. "-skkut." He hissed through his teeth as Amber pumped him slowly, just to punish him. "Please darling, don't tease me."

"Maybe that's who you married? Maybe I'm a tease? A tyrant. A-"

Both her hands were yanked above her head and pinned there as he kissed her aggressively. She briefly noted to herself that he seemed to like to be in control as she moaned against his lips. He restrained her wrists with one hand and gripped the underside of her knee to lift her leg up once more. "Ha, now what are you going to do?" She chuckled at the wanton look on his face and believed she had _some_ power still. "You don't have a third hand."

"Why should I need a third hand?" He seemed annoyed by this question, at that moment, when there were other _much_ more enjoyable activities to be had.

"To take hold of yourself and enter me. I'm not exactly _splayed open_ for you in this position. You will have to release my hands if you want to proceed, but then I might tease you again." Amber chuckled, not used to being so playful and enjoying herself…until she saw the confused look on his face.

"I don't need to do either of those things." He blinked slowly at her, then looked down at himself, and then returned his dark eyes to regard her. "You are already wet enough for entry, and I know what I'm doing now, so I can just…"

Amber tensed and blinked madly at Kjaan in shock. The head of his cock was nuzzling left and right, parting her tresses and labia. Perplexed and a little afraid Amber leaned against his hold and the wall to look down their bodies. Kjaan still had one hand pinning her wrists against the wall, and the other hand cupped the underside of her knee. He seemed to realise her confusion so he let his hold on her go slack enough for her to look down at his groin. "…are you ok?"

"…"

 _…_ _his penis is moving…like on it's own…_ The shaft curved upwards and he rubbed the ridged crown against her clit. Something she would have very much enjoyed…if she wasn't freaking out…

"Amber?" he sensed the mood having changed so he released her and took a step back from her as she slumped against the wall. "Is something wrong?" He blinked and followed her eyeline to his erection. "Is something wrong with my penis?" His tone gave away that he was starting to panic. "There wasn't an issue last night and we had a lot of sex so I-"

"Erm." She cut him off and folded her arms under her chest, dragging her eyes up from the magical mystical moving penis to look at his worried expression. She felt a pang of guilt for reacting so badly and making him feel so insecure. _I better not use the words 'magical mystical moving penis', when I explain this…this was_ _ **so**_ _not in the welcome pack._

"Am I strange colour?" he looked down at his own penis and scratched the back of his hooded neck. "Most men have darker coloured skin on their genitals, Angaran men anyway. Or is it my ridges? You didn't seem uncomfortable last night."

"Kjaan." Amber put her hands on his chest and stole his attention. She took a deep breath and smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you or you know, ruin the mood." She chuckled and shrugged. "The darker colour is normal and the ridges are a _nice_ bonus." She blushed, but was determined to push her embarrassment aside. She couldn't bear the thought of making Kjaan insecure.

"Then why did you look down with such horror?" He still looked distraught and didn't appear to want to touch her anymore.

"Ok I'm just going to come out and say it." Amber cleared her throat, exhaled deeply and nodded again. "You can move your penis." He waited, clearly needing an explanation. "As in, you can move it in more directions than just upwards as it gets hard."

"…hard?" he blinked at her, still confused.

"You know. When it becomes erect." Amber took her hands back and put them on her hips. "None of the initiative species are able to have such…movement. Blood flow causes the penis to become hard, maybe even come out of a sheath, but you just curved your penis left, right and, like, with lots of motion."

"…is the penis not a muscle for your species?" Amber tried not to gawk, but she couldn't help looking. His cock lowered to a more relaxed position but didn't get smaller. It also still looked thick. There was nothing 'soft' about _that_ flaccid penis.

"Well, _yes_ , kind of." Amber suddenly wished she paid more attention to xenobiological anatomy at university. "Mainly when aroused blood flows to special capillaries that cause it to harden, grow and become erect. But that's mostly it." Her blush was permanent by this point.

"I see." He chuckled and waved a hand down towards his groin. "The muscular structure within an Angaran penis is similar to the interwoven fibres of the muscle tissue in our tongues. Not _quite_ as flexible, but we can operate it in a similar way." Amber held the back of her neck and smiled at Kjaan. "You must not have noticed last night due to being in the lust haze."

"Probably." She chuckled. _The lust haze huh? Is that what you call it? "_ I'm really sorry for freaking out. I guess I was just _surprised_ and I froze. I mean like you said before. We're clearly _compatible_."

Kjaan seemed to regard her in deep thought for a moment and then nodded.

"If it makes you uncomfortable I could handle myself like a human would."

"No." Amber pushed away from the wall and took hold of his wrists. "No don't do that. Besides, that's hardly fair. After all my body is different to an Angaran woman. And I can't just pretend I don't have breasts." She chuckled and was reassured when he smiled back at her.

"But I _like_ your breasts. They are soft and quite sensitive." They chuckled together and he held her hands back.

"Maybe this has brought something else to light however." Amber decided to capitalise whilst she could. "We don't really _know_ all that much about each other. Maybe we should take things a little slower? Become close as people before we-"

"No." Kjaan shook his head and cradled her cheeks in his hands. "I couldn't bear not being able to touch you. We shall do both."

"Oh, but I just thought if we got to _know_ each other then misunderstandings like before wouldn't happen again." The look on his face was clear. That was _not_ going to happen.

"Is there anything else about my body that you are unsure about?" He used his hold on her cheeks to guide her lips close as he stepped up to her.

"…well _no_ but-"

"Then we shall bathe each other, join in the passion of our bond, and then talk all night as we caress and touch one another. As the closeness should be. Intimate and intense." Kjaan swooped down and chewed on her feeble complaints as he kissed her. She soon relented in favour of his tender and adventurous hands as they mapped her lithe form. He moved her through the doorway to the bathroom and guided her gently to step into the walk in shower. "Our bond is new but we will kindle those flames until they roar with heat."

"Why do I think you're going to talk me into agreeing to much more than I should?" _silver tongued devil._ Amber's back came up against the cold tile of the walk in shower wall and he spared only one hand to operate the shower controls. He busied his other hand in her hair and gently craned her head away so he could suck and kiss at her exposed neck.

"Because you wish it?"

"Because you are far too persuasive." She chuckled as water spouted from both sides of the shower. "C-cold!"

"This is the first time the shower has been used. It will take a moment." He chuckled at her. "Don't worry. I shall warm you." he grinned against her neck and scooped her knee up. However, he didn't use her leg to open her up to him. Instead he pulled it across her body, making her turn on her other foot until her back was facing him. He released her leg in time for her to stand on both feet and look over her shoulder at him quizzically. "Trust me dear one." He pushed her hair over her left shoulder again and resumed his nipping and kissing of her neck and shoulder. His hands stroked up and down her ribs and he used one of his feet to nudge her legs open. By this point Amber realised where this was going, so she leaned forward against the cold tiles and dipped her back to angle her pelvis back words him. With a slightly more aggressive nip to her shoulder Kjaan gripped her hips and slid inside of her. "Skkut you feel so good." He gripped her tightly as he sheathed himself fully inside of her, and then gave her an experimental grind.

"MMmmm. More, please I-fuck!" She couldn't see the wicked grin on his face when he pulled back and ground forward. The wet sound of his hips slapping backside echoed around the shower, mirrored by their panting and moaning.

"So soft. Like, like I'm moulding you with every, sweet ancestors, so good." He picked up the pace and it felt so good Amber didn't mind being pressed against the cold tiles. She tried her best to grip against the slippery wall with her hands and forearms, and retain her mind under this onslaught of wanton need. He was so vocal about how he felt fucking her, and she blushed as she shamefully enjoyed every second. At least she now knew it wasn't the passion flower that made their sex fantastic. There was genuine chemistry between them. Sexual chemistry, at least. Sparks were firing through her with every thrust. He craned forward to lick and nip at her wet skin. The water was warm now, but not as hot as their writhing flesh. The angle was doing wonderful things to her. Amber couldn't care less that this man riding her for all she was worth, the man she was married to, was also a practical stranger. In that moment all she cared about was the building waves of pleasure in her body. It was strange though. The tingling she felt was throughout her pelvis, including her hips where he gripped her. she mewled with painful need as she got so close. He took one hand off her left hip and grabbed her shoulder as he rammed her even harder. He picked up the pace and panted to the humid air of the shower. Amber pressed her cheek and hands against the wall and felt her toes curl. She yowled as she felt her pleasure burst throughout her body. she was so lost in her own release that she didn't register how much Kjaan was enjoying himself behind her. he gripped her tightly and held himself to the hilt in her as he came hard. Hot tight wet pleasure gripped him and milked him as pleasure wracked his body.

They stayed like that, joined and pressed together and the wall for a moment as they panted. Once they had their breaths back Kjaan slid out of her and guided Amber to turn around to face him. "So how was that?"

"How was-seriously?" She chuckled at the cheeky grin on his face and let him stroke her arms as he embraced her. "Best shower ever." They laughed together and only stopped when Kjaan kissed her tenderly.

"I agree. We shall shower like that often, I think." He chuckled again and pressed their foreheads together. "It's nice to know we have a similar sense of humour."

"Yes I suppose." Amber smiled and shrugged. _Well. This is my predicament. An apparently sweet, very attractive man who I can't seem to think straight about when he shows a bit of flesh is my husband. I can't blame the passion flower now for having fantastic sex, nor can he._ "How about we get washed up and then we can find out what else we have in common?"

"Alright. But just to warn you? My hands _might_ wander…" his dark blue eyes glinted cheekily as he winked at her.

"Just your hands?" _wait, this isn't like me. Why I am I being so playful? It's like I'm giving him permission to flirt with me._

"For starters." He winked at her again and opened a small glass cabinet on the shower wall. "Let's get clean before we get sweaty again. Oh, and I have cooked you an _actual_ banquet."

"Real food?" She smirked and accepted the offered bottle. "You mean I'm allowed into the kitchen to eat?"

"Of course. You're going to need your strength for the next five days." He spanked her wet butt and took another bottle from the cabinet. He lathered his hands and didn't ask before rubbing the foam over her shoulders. "I am so happy my ancestors brought you to me." She raised a brow and intended to pounce on that.

"What do you mean?" He massaged her shoulders through the lather and looked down her with adoration.

"I am not…how do I say, regular kind of man. Or at least, I have never felt so." He was almost as good at massaging her shoulders as he was at sex. she found it hard not to just sag into him and let her mind go numb as he worked the tension from her body. "I am from a family of career military. The Kah Leeda family have all served in the army long before it was the resistance against the Kett. We all serve four years when we come of age, and then the choice is ours as to what we do next. I shocked everyone by saying I did not wish to return to the resistance. I wished to be a scholar." His hands worked down her back. "I have always wanted to know the reason behind everything. I used to drive my mothers mad." He chuckled and smoothed his hands up over her shoulders to her neck. He might not be answering her question, but she was learning a lot about her new mate. So Amber didn't dare interrupt. "I travelled a lot during my service with the resistance. I saw ruins and evidence of many different cultures that are nearly lost because of the Kett." He sighed, and then smiled. "Despite my family's disapproval I decided not to return to the resistance after my tour and become a scholar. I studied hard and now I'm one of a handful of cultural historians on Aya. Learning gave my life purpose." He let his hands slide down her arms and he held Amber's waist tenderly. "For the last 5 years I plateaued. There was nothing new to learn. Every now and then the head historian found an artefact of note, but I'd mainly be allocated the task of cataloguing."

"You were bored?"

"Unfulfilled." He snuggled against her in the warm water of the shower, resting his chin on her shoulder and nuzzling his lips to her neck. "I even tried specialising in anthropology, but that is just another field that has been heavily treaded already. I prayed for meaning. I asked the ancestors to send me a sign that I would be happy once more. And more than that. I prayed for love. I've never really had much luck with when it comes to finding love. I was lonely and missing a purpose. And then I saw you." He kissed her cheek and chuckled. "I'd seen initiative species before, but none like you. Hair like liquid sunlight. Eyes like a crystal lake. A smile so warm it made my skin tingle. And I knew you were sent to me when you said something so wonderful I knew your soul was beautiful as well."

"Huh? What did I say?" She gawked up at him. He just beamed a smile down at her and from the look in his eyes he was filled to the brim with that ooey-gooey feeling.

"It appears love looks the same no matter where you are in the universe."

Amber nodded to the shower wall. That's what she said as she was looking all doe eyed at the joining procession. "The reason I failed to find my mate and happiness is because I was waiting for you to come to this galaxy. To me. It doesn't matter that you are not Angaran. Love is the same no matter where you are from."

"Well that's true but-"

"I felt the pull of the ancestors in that moment, but I didn't realise what I was truly feeling until I had you in my arms in the lake. We were led to that moment my dear one. We chose each other in the sight of the ancestors and we joined." He turned Amber to look up at his doting blue eyes. "I have waited patiently for my ancestors to guide me to the one I was meant to join with. I had almost given up. When I saw you sat outside my office, the sun making your yellow hair glow and your eyes sparkle like cool lakes, I was captivated. Completely. I wanted to get to know you any way I could. So I invited you to the joining ceremony."

"So you intended to become my mate then?" She raised a brow and waited intently for his answer. Was this planned? Did he go into that 'not a real date' with every intention of making her his mate?

"No." He paused his massage to look her deep in her eyes. "I didn't realise what path I was walking down until I held you in my arms. The feel of you as I cradled you to my body. The beautiful look in your eyes as you took in my culture. Your glowing smile. Then when I had you astride my body in the water I _did_ intend to walk us out before the joining reached the peak, but it became clear to me that it was no accident that we found each other. We didn't just click with our personalities, but we find each other sexually appealing as well." Amber blushed but nodded. That part was certainly true. "I have prayed for so long for my ancestors to send my love to me. Granted I expected them to be Angaran, but when I looked up into your eyes I knew then. I felt the pull. We were fated to be joined. You and I will complete each other and live blessed lives together."

"Well, that's very, erm-but how will being my mate fulfil your dissatisfaction at work?"

"Is that not obvious?" he brushed their noses together cutely before he stepped away from her. "I'm a _cultural_ historian. The ancestors clearly sent you to me so I might become joined to a member of a brand new _culture._ Think of all I will learn now I am your mate? Not just human culture, but Turian, Salarian, Asari and Krogan. My mate isn't just an alien, but the relations officer to the Initiative. You have a detailed understanding of these species, do you not?"

"…well _yes…"_

"And official ties to the Initiative?"

"…what's your point?" she narrowed her steely eyes on him. _what are you getting at you sexy sting ray?_

"So you really were sent to complete me. In all ways Amber. Don't worry dear one. I will cite you in the papers I will write."

 _Well shit._ Amber turned to face the shower wall and gulped. _He thinks we were ordained by his dead ancestors. He didn't plan this, but his spiritual beliefs are giving him faith that we will be a great married pair. Not only that but he's going to use me to progress his career. Sneaky son of a bitch._ "Don't worry. Our closeness will come with time." He misread her anxiety and rubbed her arms. "Let's finish getting washed so we can have dinner and exchange personal details."

"Ok."

"And then we will go to bed."

"…ok?"

"And then I will dine between your thighs." Amber flustered and turned to tell him he could bloody well _not_ decide such things, but he was already out of the shower. It was quick to get washed when you don't have any hair… "Don't take too long, my dear one. Or I will come in there and rescue you. With my cock." He winked at her and appeared to find it very difficult to stay away from her.

 _Naughty sexy sting ray._ She pouted and turned busy her hands with getting washed. _I am not going to be his sex toy. He will not dazzle me with sex next time. I will remain strong. I will explain that I'm his mate because I was too high to know what I was doing, but I'll make the best of things. I'm not his ordained love sent to him by his ancestors, and I will not be used as an information mule! Bottom line, I will NOT be used!_

 _…_ _no matter how bloody good it feels when he uses me…_ Amber trembled all over and mentally drooled. _For a guy who 'never had much luck in love' he knows how to push allll my buttons. Bad bad BAD sexy sting ray._


	11. Chapter 11

_The next morning._

Ethan stood outside Sanock's large apartment and looked up at the security cameras. There was no point lingering outside as his presence would have been picked up the moment he stepped out of the taxi. One thing a war veteran would be keen on is the security of his home. So it was no surprise when the door opened before he reached it.

"Ethan! Welcome my friend." The green Angaran Adonis beckoned Ethan to follow him into his home with a wide waving arm. Once across the threshold that same arm found its way across Ethan's shoulders. "I had hoped you would be able to accept my invitation so soon but I thought you might have other commitments to fulfil before dedicating yourself to training with me." Ethan raised a raven brow at the war hero. Was there a question there?

"Well I was reassigned so I handed over all my open projects to Sasava to do."

"That's very good of you both." Sanock walked his new house guest through the living room and down a corridor to the left. "Is that all your belongings?"

"Hmm?" Ethan looked down at his duffle bag and then nodded up at Sanock. "Yes. All my personal belongings anyway. I've put in a request for a range of weapons to be sent over the next few days. I'm here to train you on the various fighting styles of the initiative species, so I think you should get accustomed to the weapons they use too."

"Indeed. I will of course impart knowledge of Angara and Kett fighting techniques and weapons as well. This is an exchange after all." Ethan chuckled as he was they walked through an open doorway into an empty bedroom. Sanock was so excited he reminded the SEO of a kid in a candy ship. "I don't know if you are aware, but there is an order to where people sleep in someone's home. I am head of this house, so I have the master bedroom. Teefa has the room next to mine as she is my child. If I have more children they would be in reverse age order. The youngest near me and so on and so forth."

"That makes sense."

"As a guest you are placed at the other side of the house." Ethan gathered that this was to be his room and looked around. It was not as plain as he was expecting. It was a the same white metal design as the rest of Angara architecture but the bedding was baby blue and there were many paintings on the walls. Too many paintings and all were dated with the age of the artist. _They must be Teefa's handy work._ Most were of plants or food but some were abstract swirls and torrents of colour. Ethan was particularly drawn to something that looked like a waterfall of pinks and purples. It was both light and yet powerful. He found his feet taking him over to it to get a better look. Sanock followed him and dropped a hand onto his shoulder. "I dream of a day where Teefa will be able to dedicate herself to her passion. She is gifted, no?"

"Absolutely." Ethan nodded energetically and smiled up at the proud father. Sanock beamed with adoration in his yellow eyes. "I like this one the most."

"She calls that one 'Passion'."

"Yes I can see that."

"You can?" Sanock seemed astounded. "Then can you explain it to me? It's pretty but I don't understand why passion is pink. Surely it should be red or blue. Something bold and powerful." Ethan chuckled. How was he discussing art with the most revered resistance veteran when he came to train with him?

"Maybe lust is bold and powerful, but also dangerous. Passion is different, I think." Ethan folded his arms and regarded the painting like he was a true critique. "Passion doesn't mean sex. Passion can be so much more. It can be romantic, but also paternal. Platonic. Familial. Professional even. True passion doesn't have to be a sledge hammer getting the job done. Smacking something into the right shape. It can be gentle. Like a mother's caress. The melodic sound of a child's laughter. The penny dropping when you learn something astounding and new. Of course it can be strong too. Passion unites and moves nations towards a common purpose." Ethan waved his hand over the poster. "Pink and purple. A light and deep colour that blends well and captures a water like appearance. After all water is pure, cleanses, gives life, quenches thirst but can carve through the landscape, swallow boats whole and with enough pressure can cut through metal. Like Passion."

"…you are an artist too?" Ethan snickered and turned his grin up to the astounded green Angaran.

"No. But I had a fuck buddy who was one back in the Milky Way galaxy." He blushed, not knowing if he should have revealed that fact so curtly, but Sanock barked with laughter.

"I see. And when did your lover educate you on art? Before or after the deed?"

"Before." Ethan rolled his eyes as he thought back to Juan. "He would insist on meeting at a new gallery, talk in my ear for an hour about a new piece of art he'd found and that would get him going."

"Sounds boring."

"It was." Ethan then shrugged with a smirk. "But the sex was amazing so meh. Totally worth it." they both laughed as they turned to face the bed. "I'm surprised you knew what a fuck buddy was." Ethan blurted out as he retrieved his duffle bag from the floor.

"You think Angara don't have sex unless their joined?" Sanock put his hands on his hips and shook his head at the silly human.

"Ah, well actually that makes sense. You guys are very open minded and comfortable with your feelings."

"Not all of us, of course. I know a few soldiers that could _use_ a good fuck buddy." Sanock slapped Ethan on the back and led him over to the wardrobe by his bed.

"Have you…" Ethan slapped his hand over his face. That was waaaay to personal a question, yet it leapt from his mouth before his head to vet it.

"Had a fuck buddy? Yes. I have had several lovers. Comes with being a war hero." Sanock winked at Ethan and guided the hand holding his duffle bag to place the bag on the bed. Apparently he intended to help him unpack… _must be an Angaran thing._ Ethan couldn't help but regard the older man like he had the first time he'd come to train with him. Tall, muscular, pale green skin with sharp black chevrons highlighting his crown and hood. Thick and powerful thighs held a firm body and well sculpted biceps. This man was the epitome of Angaran fitness if he ever did see it. You could tell if you looked deep into his yellow eyes that he had seen many horrors on the battlefield, and yet they still twinkled with mischief. There was something about Sanock that just disarmed you and stole away your worries. Ethan began to think that this assignment wouldn't be all that bad after all. After a pause Ethan realised that not only had he been staring again, but Sanock was smirking back at him.

 _If I didn't know any better I'd swear he was giving me bedroom eyes right now._

"Sounds like you were quite popular back in the day."

"Back in the-I'm not so old that it's no longer my _day_ , Ethan." Sanock chuckled and dropped another folded shirt. "In fact that's not the first time you've insunated I'm old. I'll have you know I'm 33. How old are you?"

"28." Ethan shrugged. "I guess you're not that much older than me after all."

"I suppose you assumed I was older because of Teefa?" Ethan simply nodded with a cheeky smile. "I was young when I became a true father. However, before then I was _very_ popular."

"Oh yes?" Ethan chuckled. They were back to sex again.

"In fact I would look forward to going back to the front lines just to rest my cock."

Ethan bellowed with laughter. Sanock was unlike any Angaran he'd encountered so far. But then again perhaps that was because the only other Angaran he was friends with was Kaffra, and he wasn't exactly a 'jolly' fellow. What was more interesting was the fact that it kinda sounded like Sanock was flaunting his prowess. _Maybe that's an Angara thing too?_

 _"_ Couldn't keep the ladies off you I take it?"

"I had several at the same time before Mahni." Sanock was still smiling as he started taking T-shits and tank tops out of the duffle bag. He even folded them and placed them on the bed sheet.

"Is that your Mate?" Ethan grabbed one of his shirts only to freeze when he saw the sad smile on Sanock's face.

"She was, yes." Ethan felt his heart tighten and drop into his stomach.

 _Aaaaah shit. I brought up his dead wife. Fuck. Way to go Ethan you twat._

"I'm sorry Sanock."

"What for?" He chuckled and continued retrieving and folding Ethan's clothes. "Truth be told I had wondered when Mahni would come up. You would have noticed that Teefa and I live here alone and wondered where her true mother was. All the pictures of Teefa are with me or other members of our family. Her mother had a rare condition. Gantz disease. A very rare and recessive disease that only becomes apparent when the woman becomes pregnant. Hormones basically become so imbalanced it can cause a range of secondary health problems. Her blood pressure became too high during labour and she passed. Teefa had to be surgically retrieved."

"Oh God." Ethan abandoned his clothes and put his hand on Sanock's shoulder. "I can't imagine what you went through."

"I am not sad Ethan." He smiled and put his hand on top of Ethan's on his shoulder. "I loved Mahni and she gave me the best gift of all. Teefa is the light of my life. I do not regret loving Mahni for those years were wonderful. I wouldn't have Teefa otherwise. I have also had 12 years to come to terms with my loss so I can talk about her openly without you feeling like you are surrounded by landmines." He chuckled and released Ethan's hand. "So calm yourself."

"Ok." Ethan returned to unpacking, content he hadn't upset his host.

"12 years…such a long time." After a long pause Sanock snickered. "Such a long time without sex. Perhaps I should get a new fuck buddy."

"…oh my-seriously?!" Ethan gawked at Sanock as he walked away from that bombshell, putting some of his clothes in the wardrobe.

"Yes. I observed the year of mourning after Mahni passed and then I simply haven't found another for even carnal pleasures. Until recently I thought I had lost those urges entirely." Ethan stared at his back. Even clad in his black combat suit he looked very attractive. It was hard to think of Sanock being without plenty of opportunities to…work out some tension…if he so wished.

"And here I was getting grumpy because it's been a few months." _Well, ignoring the 600 years in cryo, of course._

"Months? You make that sound like such a long time to be without…wait…is it? For humans I mean?" Ethan shrugged with a smile, happy to take the conversation away from Sanock's dead mate, even if it directed the spotlight on his personal life.

"Well yes and no." He came to stand next to Sanock and busied himself with sorting his socks and underpants into carious cubby holes in the wardrobe. "Back in the Milky Way I'm told humans have the largest libido of all the species. Then it comes down to the individual. Some people like casual sex, some people prefer relationships and others prefer neither. I've had a few boyfriends, erm _lovers-_ " _Got to remember that Angara don't differentiate between male or female lovers._ "-but they never really worked out. I'm a bit odd you see in regards to…oh that's a bit personal actually." He blushed and chuckled nervously. _As if I almost let_ _that_ _slip?!_

"You can't stop there." Sanock declared with a grin.

"Oh yes I can." Ethan chuckled and retreated to sorting his clothes.

"No you can't say something like that and not continue."

"Watch me."

"But now I wish to know even more."

"…"

"Come now Ethan. I spoke about my dead mate. Surely you can tell me what you are 'odd in regards to'?"

"That is _so_ not the same thing and you _know_ it."

Yes, it seems Sanock was becoming a very good, and very nosy friend. Ethan flustered and ran a hand back through his raven curtains. _I can't believe he's pulling the 'you brought up my dead wife' card?!_ The green Angara simply smirked and his yellow eyes gleamed with determination.

"If you don't tell me then I will punish you."

"Oh?" Ethan chuckled despite his predicament. All his clothes were away too so he couldn't be distracted from his oppressor.

"Yes. I have many ways to make you talk. Most are unpleasant." Thankfully Sanock was smirking. A resistance Heskaarl berserker probably knew LOTS of ways to interrogate the hell out of a target. Yet he didn't feel like this was a threat. _He's being playful again. I can be playful._

"Tease." Sanock raised a brow but still smirked.

"How am I a tease?"

"You said that you would kick my ass the last time we trained." Ethan sat on his bed and folded his arms over his chest. "But you didn't. Making promises you don't keep is just a tease. So your threats are idol ones. I'm not worried." _Check. Your move._

"Oh you think my threats don't hold any weight?" Sanock moved to stand in front of him. So close in fact that his legs were almost touching Ethan's knees. To gain some personal space Ethan leaned back on his hands on the bed to look up more comfortably at the berserker. "I see. Perhaps you will change your mind when you realise that the clothes you will put into the wash basket have gone missing? How confident will you be when the shower is always set to a _very_ cold setting for you? Or maybe I'll forget which foods are not safe for human consumption and have you locked out of the bathrooms?"

"…" Ethan chuckled and nodded.

"You relent?"

"You had me at stealing my clothes. I'm not walking around here naked just so-" _you can stare at my ass. Shit, I almost said that._ It was hard to remember that they weren't flirting. Sanock was just playful by nature. Unfortunately Ethan was a massive flirt by _his_ nature. "Fine. I'll tell you." Sanock smirked, feeling very smug in his victory. He nodded for Ethan to continue. "My past lovers have broken up with me because I'm not really what they want in a partner."

"It's more than that." Sanock narrowed his yellow eyes on the twitchy human.

"I'm a military man so it's expected that I'd be dominating…but I'm not. So I tend to find that the men who are attracted to me are looking for something more…in charge." Sanock blinked slowly. He didn't get it. "Oh I'll just say it. Do you know how two men…?"

"Have sex?" Sanock chuckled. "Yes I am aware Ethan. What's your point?"

"I'm what they call a receiver. And yet I give off the vibe of a giver. At least in the dating world I seem to." He shrugged and thought to hell with it. He shifted along the bed and got back to unpacking like they were now discussing the weather and not his sex life. He had a few books and shoes to occupy his hands. "So other receivers gravitate towards me and it doesn't work. When I have clicked with a giver we don't get along for long. Clash of personalities. At least, in all the 4 relationships I've had anyway. Because I'm _such_ an expert." He mocked himself as he set a digital photo frame on a shelf facing the bed. It rotated through pictures of his parents and glory photos of him in the field with various friends. Asari commandos mostly. But there was a few of him with his arms around Sasava and Amber too. "So would you like to ask me anything else really personal whilst we're at it?" Ethan joked but Sanock took that question very seriously.

"Have you ever been with an Angaran?"

"No." Ethan answered honestly. "I woke up from Cryo a few weeks back. I went through the orientation and then I was stationed on Aya."

"Would you like to be?"

Ethan turned away from the photo frame and regarded Sanock.

"Are you… _propositioning_ me?"

"I suppose I am." Sanock slowly walked towards him and stopped just short of being in Ethan's personal space. "I can't pretend that I don't find you to be…tempting."

 _Holy shit._ Ethan blinked a few times and then a smile grew on his face. _I wasn't imagining it. He wasn't just being playful. He really was flirting with me all this time._ "I find you to be physically pleasing. Although it was your skill that attracted my attention first. I've never been unable to defeat an opponent before. That really…impressed me." Ethan also folded his arms and blushed.

"I can same the same about you."

"It's why I asked Evfra to get us regular training sessions. It was his idea to have you move in. though…I'm not opposed to having you close to me."

"So, erm, what are we talking about here?" _you want to play I'm game. I just need to know the_ _rules_ _first…_

"Yes, let's make this fun."

Ethan didn't flinch as Sanock backed him up against the wall, but didn't touch him. "We are going to be training together closely for 3 months. We can enjoy each other without rushing, if you like. We will train once a day but with rules this time. A different challenge each day and whomever loses the bout…sexually pleases the victor."

 _Oh seriously? Is this actually happening to me?_ Inner Ethan was rubbing his hands and cackling with glee. _This is going to be so much fun._

"Wait, just so I have this straight." He ignored his choice of words for now. "For three months I'm living in your house, which you did just to get me close to you, and during this time every training session will result in one of us getting the other person off?"

"Not straight away of course." Sanock put his hands on his hips and shrugged. "At night. Straight after the match we might be worn out and need a rest. Definitely a shower. And depending on the day Teefa could be home and walking around." He seemed to look up in thought for a moment before grinning. "Mine and Teefa's room is to the other side of the house. Your room is far enough away for privacy. Before bed I will come to your room. If I won the day, you will satisfy me. And if you won the day I will satisfy you. Does that sound fair?"

 _If I agree to this…there will be no going back. I can't back out later. But then again…why the hell would I want to?_ Ethan blatantly looked Sanock up and down with a filthy smirk.

"Are you sure? Because if you agree to this you can't change your mind when I beat you every day. I'll send you some pamphlets to your email so you can learn where all my sweet spots are. if you think I'll work you hard in the training room, that's _nothing_ compared to how hard I'll work you in-"

Fump.

Sanock slammed both his hands onto the wall at either side of Ethan's head. He leaned so close he could have licked Ethan's face if he wanted to. They both stared at each other's lips for a heavy moment before Sanock pulled back.

"I will do the same. I hope you don't gag easily. I intend to put that mouth of yours to good use when I beat you. And that's just to start with."

"Are you teasing me again?"

"No. If you agree to may wager, then that is a promise."

"Agreed." Ethan felt butterflies swarm in his stomach. _Holy crap I just agreed._

"Wonderful. We'll start today." Sanock licked his lips but pulled himself back. "I'll let you settle in and check on your colleagues to ensure they have taken your work load on alright. Then before lunch we will find out who will be the victor tonight."

"That will be me." Ethan smirked.

"We shall see." And just like that Sanock about turned and left Ethan to his steamy mental state.

 _Oh I bet that man will look so good between my thighs._

Sasava shifted her weight from one foot to the next. Her pumps were flat and scuffled softly on the tilled floor outside Kaffra's new office. She could tell his promotion was a big deal as he'd been moved closer to the central offices. In the central tower she could go up a floor and find the cultural ministers, Evfra's official Resistance lesion office, the Angaran council offices and so many more. _I bet the Moshae is based up there._

On this level there was the Angaran Trade minister's office, which she faced, the financial and medical aid offices. Right next to Kaffra's new office was a door with a plaque on that read 'Vassal allocation and personnel distribution'. _I bet that's not a fun job. Deciding who gets to rotate onto Aya and who goes to live on one of the other Angaran worlds._

Sasava exhaled deeply and smoothed her hand down her front. Today she wore one of her long white Asari dresses. It had a short collar, short sleeves that hugged her shoulders and hugged her ever curve to her hips. It then flared down to her ankles to cover her feet. There was a triangular semi-transparent white panel over her sternum and tapered just in time to show the start of her cleavage. She wore long gloves made of the same material that hugged her biceps. She looked both smart and elegant. Back on the citadel she would have looked quite at home in the presidium in this outfit.

Yet she almost wished she was wearing armour as she raised her elegantly gloved hand to knock on the door. She swore her white freckles stood out when she was nervous, which she hated, but steeled herself for Kaffra. They had agreed to start again, so she wouldn't put a foot wrong this time. The pressure was on to not screw up her second chance. Especially as Rialla would likely hear of it if Sasava ran crying from central HQ. She finally knocked and held a smile on her face and her data pad to her chest. The door opened and Kaffra greeted her with a stoic face and nod. Downright friendly for him, really.

"Good morning. You found my new office alright?"

"Yes Kaffra I did, thank you." The pale blue Angaran hard ass was as badly dressed as always. His yellow triangular Rofjinn stood out against the concrete colour of grey his suit was made of. The padded material over the front of his thighs, shins and forearms were a paler and washed out shade of grey too. If Sasava hadn't seen so many vibrant variations of this outfit on other Angara, she wouldn't have noticed how badly this man needed someone to dress him. Every time she'd seen him he displayed the inability to be even remotely fashionable. Was he choosing colours that didn't suit him or each other on purpose? It was downright distracting.

 _I can't afford to be distracted._

"What do you think?" Sasava tensed, fearing he was asking her about his appearance. Thankfully he gestured his arm around the office, so she relaxed and widened her smile.

"Lovely." She looked around the room to appreciate it for a long moment. Just for good measure. "Spacious. You could probably fit two desks _between_ our desks it's that big." She chuckled when Kaffra seemed to panic and shut the door.

"Shhh. Don't say that. We'll have other people assigned to our office in a heartbeat if the wrong person hears you say that."

"My lips are sealed." Sasava chuckled again and really took in the office. The walls and ceiling were made of the same high sweeping white metal as the rest of Aya. The floor however was made of wood! How novel it was to hear the gentle creak of the polished boards beneath her feet as she walked over to what she assumed was her desk. Kaffra's desk was to the right and the computer screen was still on from being used. A steaming cup of Naxa tea was perched by a holo-keyboard. To the left was an empty desk. The desks were both made of thick white plastic with a polished finish. Kaffra had the same chair from his old office. White, thick with padding and had a high back for maximum support and comfort. Her chair was the standard issue; plastic, on wheels and with a short back. Just like her old chair.

"Is there anything about this office that upsets or offends you?" Sasava blinked a few times and then turned to look at Kaffra quizzically. _Why would he….oh. he's looking at me like he did before. Like he's in a field of landmines and he doesn't know where to step._ The teal Asari smiled warmly up at him and nodded eagerly.

"The office is quite lovely Kaffra. This desk is bigger than the one I had at the embassy. My legs barely fit under that desk and I certainly didn't have any draws." She made a point of taking her seat and pulling herself to sit at the desk. Sasava smoothed a hand across the counter top and her computer pinged to life. "I can't even reach the corners with both hands! Ooo, I have room for knickknacks." She giggled, in her own world for a moment. She became lost to the moment as she imagined getting figurines of small animals with bobbling heads from the Kadara market. She mentally planned where they would go as Kaffra walked over to stand next to her chair.

"What are nic naks?"

"Oh that must not translate well." She chuckled behind one hand, and then fired up her omni-tool. "Knickknacks are like little ornaments or personal items, photographs or decorations that aren't necessarily worth much but give a sense of personality to a home or workspace." She seemed to glow as she became nostalgic. "Back in the milkyway I worked in the citadel before joining the initiative. I've had a few jobs but I was a secretary before I trained with the initiative to become a Resources and Requisitions Officer. Back on the citadel I had little fuzzy animals lined up along the side edge of my desk. I collected one for every world I visited."

"Did you not have them on your desk at the embassy?"

"Alas no." Sasava sighed through her smile and placed her hands on her lap. "There were strict regulations on what we could bring with us aboard the Nexus. A weight restriction and _very_ short list of personal items we were allowed to bring. Of those items only one was allowed to be of 'only sentimental value'." She shrugged. "So no fuzzy wuzzy animals for my desk. I left them with my mother…" Sasava turned to look at the log in screen of her computer. _She's probably dead by now. She was 570 when I left. If she isn't already dead she's about to be._

"I am sorry." Kaffra was unusually sensitive and put his hand on her shoulder. "I forget that your people left family behind in your galaxy to come here and can't return. Did you leave many behind?"

"My mother and sisters. I am one of four so my mother wasn't alone."

"Your true mother allowed you to leave?" he chuckled and returned to his chair. "Mine would never allow it. If I don't speak to that woman every other day she hunts me down." He rolled his icy blue eyes and began typing on his holo-keyboard. "My _other_ mothers are more relaxed. Once a week is enough for them."

"I wish my mother had been like that sometimes." She sighed and entered her login code. "The great Talorga was a diplomat on our home world Thessia. If I heard from her five times in a year I was doing well."

"…heard…how often did you _see_ your true mother?"

"Twice a year. My birthday and hers." Sasava opened her emails and turned with a smile to look at Kaffra. She was about to tell him about the time Talorga forgot her birthday and came a day later and found her dancing in the Afterlife nightclub…when she saw the horrified expression on his face. He seemed both shocked and sorry for her.

"Tell me you at least saw your father? Your sisters?"

"My father was a Turian and he died when I was still very young. They don't live as long as my people so that's quite normal. My sisters, well, that's another story." Sasava hoped to reassure him and turned in her chair to gesture eagerly with her hands as she spoke. "Penifra is my oldest sister. She followed my mother's footsteps and went into politics. She runs around doing a job very similar to Amber on the citadel. She deals with the diplomats at the various embassies there to stop them from falling out over cultural misunderstandings. Teyxao is an Asari commando and is really cool. She's so laid back that nothing bothers that woman. I've seen her make a Krogan _cry."_

"She must be fierce." Kaffra chuckled, encouraging Sasava to no end.

"Oh yeah. She's normally the one who drags all of us together to go drinking and dancing a few times a year. Just for fun and to catch up. Something that made my youngest sister Keelana _very_ excited. She would drag me shopping to get a new dress every time. That girl!" Sasava giggled and clapped her hands together. "I would resent being dragged around all day through shop after shop if it wasn't for the fact that without me she'd turn up wearing something totally indecent." She was so amused at her own memories she didn't notice the way Kaffra was smiling at her. "She's why I work so hard actually. I left all my family behind except her."

"Keelana came to Andromeda with you?"

"Yes." Her smile turned sad and she faced her computer. "She-erm…she's in cryo on the Nexus. She's a civilian. She specialises in infants so after much petitioning she got herself into the initiative by reasoning that she'd be needed in andromeda. You know, to help all those new parents when they had babies once we colonised enough worlds. But as we haven't got to that point yet…they won't wake her up. Damn it I'm sorry." Sasava tried to blink back her tears and kept smiling even as she wiped a few rebellious drops with her fingers. "All this talk of family got me all broody I guess. Of all my sisters I'm closest to Keelana. I practically raised that girl. I miss her a lot and it snuck up on me."

"Of course you do." Kaffra pressed his hands to his desk and didn't know whether or not he should try and comfort her. "I would be concerned if you didn't."

Sasava cleared her throat, took a calming breath and smiled up at him.

"That's one of the reasons I work so hard. People on those colonies rely on the supplies I get, but in turn each colony that grows can accept more colonists. More people get woken up and so on."

"So she will be woken up soon?"

"Oh I doubt it." Sasava chewed her cheek, determined not to cry again and once she could trust her lips not to wobble she smiled again. "Scientists, military, command personnel and merchants are prioritised before civilians. It might be years before-" She closed her eyes and cleared her throat again. "Anyway." Sasava's deep green eyes were still misty as she tried to look convincing. "I might not be close to my mother but it was difficult leaving my family behind. I had their blessing however and my baby sister even fought hard to come with me, so _I_ fight hard to get her _out_ of cryo."

Sasava flashed him a 'trust me I'm ok' smile and then turned to look at her computer screen. That was the first time she talked about how much she missed Keelana since her request to have her sister 'thawed out' was denied. All those golden worlds, had they panned out, should have meant they were woken up together. But that didn't happen, so she had to be strong and wait for her sister. Even Ethan and Amber hadn't brought Keelana up for fear of upsetting her. She decided to bury herself in work to get her closer to the day she'd free her sister, and distract herself from being without her. After a few minutes of going through her emails and sorting the requests into rank order of importance she yelped with a start.

"I thought you might like some tea." Kaffra held the cup before her and seemed annoyed at something. "My true mother would scold me for upsetting you like this by bringing up the family you left behind. I shouldn't have asked and I hope I have not offended you. …again…"

"Oh gosh no." Sasava sighed and accepted the offered up with an apologetic smile. "You weren't to know that I'd get upset. How could you possibly know I have a sister in cryo? It's nice to be getting to know each other to be honest. I hope you don't think I'm upset with _you_ Kaffra?" he seemed to relax and returned to his desk.

"Good. I want us to work well together."

"As do I." She smiled and blowed on her tea before taking a sip. Spicer than she expected tea to taste, but it was tea all the same.

"You should get new knickknacks." He coughed into his hand and stared intently at his own computer screen. "To give your personality to the desk."

She opened her mouth to correct his misunderstanding, but simply smiled and focused on her computer whilst cupping her tea cup.

"Thank you. I think I will." It was close enough, and she liked the idea of getting some new figurines. _Maybe I'll bring my family photo from my apartment and put it on my desk…working with Kaffra next to me might not be so bad after all._ "Could I book a slot of your time Kaffra to go through some of these requisition orders? With Ethan assigned to training with the resistance and Amber on her honeymoon I've got their assignments as well. If I can plan in our meetings first than I can organise the rest of my time to deal with these 'relations issues' that Amber normally deals with."

"Understood." He nodded and brought up his calendar. "I am about to meet with an engineer with a patent dispute and I don't have any availabilities today. Hmmm. Tomorrow? 4pm?"

"Yes, please book me in. how long is that slot?" Sasava opened her diary on her omni-tool and hovered her finger over 4pm.

"You can have 30 minutes."

"Done. I'll email you a list of what I'll be asking for so you can have a counter offer ready."

A comfortable silence fell in the room for a few minutes, before Kaffra grunted and turned his seat to face her.

"You said Amber is on a honey moon? I don't think the translator can cope with that. I don't know how she can be on a moon of honey?" Sasava's eyes widened and then she giggled behind both hands. "I have said something amusing?"

"A little bit." She calmed herself but still smiled as she turned in _her_ chair to give him the same level of attention. "We call what Amber is on a honey moon. You call it 'the time of closeness?" recognition flashed in his icy blue eyes and he nodded.

"Ah. She has become joined? Has she returned to the Nexus or Meridian then?"

"Oh no. Her Husband, sorry _Mate,_ is here on Aya." He folded his arms over his chest and raised a brow at her.

"Here? There are quite a few initiative species here now I suppose."

"Oh he's Angaran." She bit her lips to stop herself laughing at his reaction.

"He's _what?!_ you mean an _actual_ Joining and the _actual_ time of closeness? With an Angaran? Who the-son of a bitch." Kaffra held his face and his shoulders started bouncing. He was smiling when he took his hand away. "Kjaan is her mate isn't he? He was taking her to the joining ceremony and went and joined with her himself."

"Well yes that's pretty accurate." She was blushing deeply so her cheeks went a darker shade of green. This intrigued Kaffra and he narrowed his icy blues on her.

"…how much do you know about-"

"All of it." Sasava decided to face her computer but her blush didn't go. She pressed her knees together under the desk and tried to stop her mind replaying the saucy details Amber told her as she helped her human friend pack her things. The word sexcapade bounced around her head unhelpfully as well.

"I see." He chuckled darkly. "It seems humans and Angara can mate. I wonder if the other initiative species have the correct anatomy as well."

"…probably." She shifted her weight in her chair and opened a new email. Her blush showed she was still embarrassed however. "Asari will be if humans are. we have the same…'anatomy' as human females." She didn't see the stolen and curious glance Kaffra gave her. "I can't speak for Salarians or Turians without understanding more about Angaran physiology." At first she thought she'd successfully ended the conversation. A new email pinged in her inbox, so she opened it, thinking it might be another requisitions request. Instead it was a link to a video with an educational address tag. The same tags were found on the welcome pack videos so she happily opened it. "SWEET GODDESS." The sound of whimpers and grunts assaulted her work station. And that was nothing compared to what she was seeing! Sasava banged her finger on the pause button and whirled around in her chair to glare through her fluster at Kaffra. "Why would you think it would be ok to send me PORN Kaffra?!"

"It's not porn." He didn't seem to understand why her feathers were so ruffled and folded his arms over his chest. In fact he was looking at her like she was massively overreacting. "You said you'd need to know more about Angaran physiology. So I sent you a video we use in sex education for our children. So they know what the male and female body looks like, what happens during arousal and what sex actually is."

"But-they-people are having SEX on my computer _Kaffra_." She held her cheeks and caught a glimpse of the screen. She yelped again and flung her hand at the screen to close the email. Clumsily she ended up pressing the sound button. Panting and groaning filled the office and she screamed with embarrassment. "Goddess make it stop!" Sasava pawed at the screen desperately until she finally paused and closed the video. She was still panting and blushing as Kaffra held one hand over his mouth. He wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his laughter however. "This isn't funny! There's a digital fingerprint of _porn_ on my account now Kaffra. I could be in trouble for-"

"No you won't. It's an educational video. There's no dirty talk, kink or sex tips in there. Are all aliens so prudish?" He cackled and held his ribs as they ached from laughing so hard. "How did Amber survive the joining couples mating all around her when-"

"I have to go." She stood from her chair and could feel the heat from her permanent blush. "Relations issues to sort out. Stuff to do."

"Stuff to do? That sounds important." He openly mocked her.

"It is." She chewed her lips and despite her embarrassment didn't want to seem like she was running away again. "We're not all…erm…I'm just. I'm a bit _shy_ I guess. When it comes to, I mean I've never, erm." _Oh goddess don't tell him that?! he does NOT need to know I'm a virgin!_ "I mean that I was startled and I didn't mean to overreact. I'm just a little embarrassed but I'll be fine." She gulped and couldn't read his expression. He was regarding her with a brow raised and his lips in a pressed line. Did he not believe her? Did he find her reaction and explanation odd? "I really do have work to do."

"Of course." He nodded and with a very subtle smile he returned to looking at his screen. "If my next appointment is waiting outside please send them in." business as usual. Sasava could handle Kaffra like that.

"Yes Kaffra. The tea was lovely and I will see you later." She headed towards the door.

"For lunch." He stated more than asked. "Our lunch break is at 1pm. Don't be late."

"I wouldn't dare." Sasava waved over her shoulder and was so glad to be outside the office she sighed with relief. The image of those two Angara writhing still played behind her eyes. Even without sound it looked quite erotic. With sound it was even worse. She patted her cheeks, willing her blush to disappear as she looked around. _No one is waiting here, so no one to send in._ She instead fired up her omni-tool and looked through her list of jobs from Amber and Ethan. _I'll go to the market square first. There are merchants there Ethan was dealing with on behalf of the Nexus merchants, and one of them has a complaint about a Turian? Something about his Rofjinn? Two birds one stone._


	12. Chapter 12

_The same morning._

Amber stood on the other side of the kitchen breakfast counter, dressed in one of Kjaan's baggy brown shirts and watched her mate cook breakfast. She cradled a cup of Naxa tea with both hands and blew on it as she watched the muscles in Kjaan's dark blue and cream back flexed with each move of his arms as he cooked.

"What are you cooking?"

"Something called an omelette." He kept referring to a recipe he had on his data pad propped up against a box of jerky pieces as he cooked. "I've used the eggs of a Jade dasher in cooking before but not like this. I'm finding it hard to keep it in one piece like the recipe describes." Amber walked around the counter and didn't bat an eye at the fact her lover was stark naked. He was very comfortable with his body and she'd seen so much of it now, so was she.

"I'll still eat it if it's scrambled you know. I can't make omelettes either." She chuckled and sipped her tea. Amber rested her hip against the counter next to him and smiled at the look of determination on his face. "I don't expect you to dote on me you know. I've had a go at a few Angaran dishes. With practise I'm sure I'll get good at cooking them too."

"I'm sure you will." Kjaan kept prodding the green omelette with the spoon in his right hand, and used his left to scoop her against his hip. "It is customary however for me to dote on you during the time of closeness. And I confess I like it."

"A huh?" She chuckled and sipped her tea again. "We shall see how long _that_ lasts." Amber ran a hand back through her dishevelled blonde locks and sighed happily. "I'm a bit of a control freak so consider yourself warned. I'll try to behave and allow you to carry out all your customs for the time of closeness but as soon as it's over I _will_ carry my weight around here."

"Of course dear one." He nuzzled the top of her head and chuckled. "In the mean time I would like to discuss something you might _also_ find uncomfortable." He rubbed her shoulder and braced himself with a brave smile. "My family."

"Yes?" Amber raised a brow and sipped her tea. why would his family make her uncomfortable?

"We have four more days of course, but straight afterwards my family will _insist_ on meeting you. the welcoming will officially make you a member of my family. My true mother is working very hard to make your a Rofjinn in time for this meeting and all my mothers are organising the party."

"Well that doesn't make me uncomfortable. I imagine they are probably a little anxious to meet their new daughter in law."

"…in law? You are more than my legal mate Amber."

"Oh I know. We use the term 'in law' so you know a person is a daughter my marriage."

"You will not just be a daughter by association Amber. My true mother will become your mother and you her daughter." He turned his attention away from her briefly to scoop up the slightly scrambled omelette and place it onto a plate. "She will likely interrogate you the first moment she can. I apologise in advance for how invasive her questions may seem to you."

"Well I can imagine she will have lots of questions for me." _I know I certainly would if I found out my son had suddenly married an alien girl he doesn't bloody know in a drug induced high._

"As do I." Kjaan carried their plates to the white table edge of the kitchen counter and placed them down. He waved for her to take the seat opposite him and handed her a fork to eat with. "I have mentioned having questions for you Amber. Is now a good time?"

"Yes. Absolutely." She shifted in her seat and made a show of putting the first mouthful of sweet green scrambled egg into her mouth. It had never looked like an omelette, but it tasted lovely. "This is good."

"Oh I'm glad." Kjaan beamed with joy and shoved some of his own breakfast into his mouth, chewed it experimentally and nodded. "It's good."

"So what do you want to ask me?" Amber poured a jug of water next to her into a glass.

"Everything." He chuckled and shrugged. "But let's start with what brought you to Andromeda?"

"Oh, ok." Amber finished her mouthful of egg and thought carefully about her answer. "Well I guess I came because I was convinced to."

"Go on?" He happily ate away as Amber sighed and decided to give him a full disclosure.

"Ok. I'm your wife, or mate, so I should really tell you the complete truth." She put her hands on the table, her breakfast mostly finished anyway, and noticed how Kjaan pushed his plate away from him. He reached across the table and held her hands.

"You can tell me anything Amber."

"Well I'm going to have to." She chuckled sadly. "Alright. Well before I can explain how I came to be a part of the initiative, I need to explain a few things about me. I will try not to bore you, and I'll keep it as short as I can, but I had a shitty start in life." Kjaan tensed, and his emotive bright blue eyes filled with concern at her cold tone. He rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles to comfort her, but Amber was long past letting her past bother her. "My parents were deemed 'unfit' to care for me, as they both referred to take red sand, a drug, rather than feed their child." Kjaan's mouth opened wide, and he seemed astounded by such a prospect. "Anyway, they went to jail, and I went into foster care. I had a few homes but I was never adopted. So at the age of 16 I knew that the chances of finding a family for the last two years before I was legally an adult was slim. I was tired of being bounced around foster homes, and found a way out." Amber had only ever told Sasava and Ethan this story, after much vodka. Telling this to Kjaan now whilst sober, was very sobering. "The citadel has a peace keeping force called Citadel security, or C-Sec. They have an academy that takes you from 16 if you pass an entrance exam. So I studied and I aced the exam."

"How tenacious of you to rescue yourself. To be so independent at such a young age…" He was amazed by her.

"Thanks." She shrugged.

"Did none of your other family try to take you in?" His voice was so sad as he spoke. "I know your milky way species have smaller families than the Angara, but did you truly have no one else?" Amber shook her head and shrugged. "I am so sorry Amber. That must have been so hard for you."

"I'm a tough girl _because_ I had to take care of myself. We are shaped by our failures and our pain, after all. The shape we take can be good or bad. I decided to be a stronger person. Independent, and capable." She nodded, her self-esteem shining through her steely eyes. "Anyway I worked in the civil disputes section of the investigations department for a couple of years. It turned out that I was good at settling disputes. So my Sargent put me forward for a course on 'Conflict management and Resolutions'."

"Oh, that's what you do now isn't it?" Kjaan brought their hands together in the middle of the table and smiled at her with pride. "You manage the conflicts between the initiative species and the Angara, to resolve the issue fairly."

"I guess I do. My training at the citadel _has_ been invaluable." Amber smiled at him, blushing at the intensity of his smile. "Well anyway I ended up being the one sent to 'resolve' the most difficult disputes. Domestic or diplomatic. I then caught the eye of the human ambassador, Anderson his name was."

"The human ambassador? You haven an Asari as the initiative ambassador here on Aya. Are there more?"

"Well Rialla is the ambassador for the initiative here on Aya." Amber felt more comfortable now her childhood wasn't the focus on his attention. "But back in the Milky Way nearly every species had an ambassador. The idea is when the new galactic council is formed next month there will be representatives for each race, with the Moshae as the Head councillor."

"I see." He nodded, taking in this information and openly fascinated by every detail. "So there will be a human, an Asari, a Salarian and a Turian ambassador, along with the Moshae?"

"Yes, although I believe as the Moshae is to be the head of the council, she doesn't count as the Angaran ambassador, so there will have to be someone selected for that role as well."

"I bet you'd do a wonderful job." Kjaan dreamily winked at her.

"You say that like you know me." Amber took her hands back and folded her arms over her chest. She sceptically raised a blonde brow at him.

"I am starting to know the core of your character and your spirit, dear one." He smirked, undeterred by her shrewdness. "I have witnessed your ire first hand, after all. The one who tried to purchase a Rofjinn? He was too afraid to even come and see you in person. So terrified by your prowess even over the com link." Kjaan slid from his chair and started to round the table, his fingers ghosting over the surface as he moved slowly towards her.

There as a hunger she recognised in those bright blue eyes.

"Ok, one? how are you horny right now? And two, for the record? An ambassador has to be more than intimidating and a hard ass for the rules." Amber tried to turn in her seat to face him, but Kjaan slid up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Kjaan? Why do I think you're too distracted to listen to me?"

"I am intently listening to you. I am simply so impressed and enamoured I feel the need to touch you as I do so. Please continue Amber." He stroked her golden hair back and over her left shoulder, so his lips could feather soft kisses along her neck. "The human ambassador back in the milky way was impressed by you?" Kjaan prompted her to continue, which was growing increasingly more difficult as he licked and nipped at her neck. His hands came up to take hold of the brown tie of her dressing gown as well.

"Ahem, well, erm, he-er…" Amber bit her lips as he opened her robe and slid it down her arms. "…liked how I dealt with a group of protestors and offered me a job."

"Doing what?" Kjaan nibbled his way along her shoulder and let his hands wander. His left caressed her waist, up her torso and took hold of her breast to tweak and tease at her nipple. He smirked at the way his mate trembled in the chair, struggling to focus through his ministrations. For now he let his right hand rest on her hip and drew tender circles into her flesh.

"E-erm-well more of the same really." She gulped, looking across to look at him with need clear across her face. Amber was smiling though. This was fun. "I worked at the embassy as a Relations officer. To make sure that any conflicts or potential insults caused by cultural diff-a-ha-I."

"Yes dear one? I didn't quite catch that?"

Kjaan had smoothed his right hand down between her thighs, used her own juices to slicken his fingers, and then began to tease her clit with slow and determined circles. He watched with pride as Amber gripped the arms of the chair and writhed, her eyes shut and her body leaning towards him for more.

"Differences." She groaned and turned her head to look up at him desperately. "I made them play nice, or else. Then the initiative started recruiting and Anderson convinced me to apply. Now I'm here."

Amber took hold of his hood with both hands and kissed him deeply. "Any other questions or can we fuck now?" She pinned, and ignored the way he chuckled as he turned her chair to face him.

"You showered this morning?"

"Yes?"

"Then I think you should tell me more about yourself."

Kjaan wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up onto his shoulder. The brown dressing gown fell to the floor and he carried her over to the curved sofa. With a bounce she landed on her backside and she blinked as Kjaan lowered to his knees. "I will pleasure you for as long as you keep talking. If you stop, I will stop."

He pushed her gently to lean back against the back of the sofa and then held her knees. The way he pushed them up and apart, spreading her, made it very clear what he intended to do. Something he'd been promising for a while now. "Ready when you are my darling one." His smirk was devilish and so seductive, Amber moaned from the sight of him alone. He was still naked after all. His athletic figure from his time in the resistance hadn't left him. "Nothing to say?"

"Not really used to talking about myself." She gulped. "Not sure what else to say."

"I tell you what? I'll help you." Kjaan winked at her and nodded to the PDA on the sofa beside her. "I wrote a list of questions a while ago. Use those."

"Oh, yeah ok." Amber nodded, glad to have _some_ direction. She tapped the screen and found the list, opening it up and clearing her voice to get the business. She closed her eyes and trembled when his hands slid down to her inner thighs and she felt the heat of his breath on her tresses. "R-right ok. Erm, question one. What is your favourite food? Really? You want to know that?" She balked, confused why _that_ had been the first question on his list. Amber lifted up the PDA to look at him and saw him smirking. He was so close to just…another inch and he'd be bringing her immense pleasure.

"I'm not starting until you start telling me about yourself. Answering those questions is the easiest way to do that."

"…seriously?" She groaned with annoyance and then huffed. "Fine. Strawberry ice cream." Kjaan seemed to take that in and commit it to memory, before nodding with determination and swiping his tongue slowly over her clit. "Ooooooookay." She gulped, and he leaned away from her with a brow raised. _He said he'd only please me as long as I told him about myself. I've stopped, so he has._ "Right. Question two." Amber returned to looking at the PDA and read the next question. "What is my favourite colour? I've never been one for having a favourite colour. I'm told I suit red." She blushed, remembering the swimsuit and his Rofjinn were red. "Ok. Red." Kjaan moved his right hand down to part her labia and he slid his tongue over her entrance and up to her clit in one slow swipe. "Question 3. Do I like to dance. I don't know I can't dance, though I've given it a go when d-drunk- _fuck."_ He was suckling at her sensitive nub and she felt the tip of one of his fingers teasing at her entrance. "Q-question-fuck-4." She gulped and decided to hold the PDA with one hand, and the other held the back of his head encouragingly. "Do you have any hob-bies or things you do outside of work that-holy fuck-make you happy!" She moaned as he got a rhythm going. He licked and suckled at her clit and his finger probed her tight to the knuckle. She whimpered, watching the bob of his head as he went for it. she didn't dare wait to see if he'd stop. "Yes-I-I have friends I go out with for a drink. Ethan and Sasava. We unwind and laugh. Other than that, does _this_ count? I'm feeling pretty happy right now." Her legs trembled, splayed wide open and her hand on his head stroked and caressed his hood. Kjaan hummed with approval and started crooking that finger inside of her. "Holy _fuuuuuuck-_ number 6!"

Kjaan thought she was so adorable. Trying to focus on reading the list for fear he'd stop pleasuring her. "Do you have family? I've answered that. Seven. Oooooooh!" Amber arched her head as he toyed with her g-spot and the sparks of bliss started to build within her. "I-I can't I-" Kjaan hummed against her even louder, like a warning, and it was enough to jerk her back into action. "Don't stop!" She groaned and blinked the list back into focus. "Where is the bloody question?!" He chuckled against her, sliding his tongue to circle her clit with the tip. His finger paused inside of her, worrying Amber into thinking he was about to stop. "G-got it!" She sounded elated when she continued, and used her hand on his head to guide his lips back down to seal around her clit once more. "Do you have a religion? No I don't." Kjaan resulted the 'come hither' motion of his finger and she shuddered with delight. "Question eight. Oh fuck question eight."

Amber threw the PDA down and shoved Kjaan to his back on the floor.

"D-dear one?" He blinked up at her, only to smirk as Amber scrambled to mount his lap and take hold of his cock. "But there are more questions?"

"Fuck the questions." Amber looked delirious with need. Her golden mane tousled around her to look wild and her steely eyes were filled with the 'lust haze'. "I'll answer them after. Oh Kjaan I'm so close it hurts." His eyes opened with alarm and he sat up.

He never thought that she could be in pain from sexual stimulation. Did she need to cum in order to feel food again?

"My dear one I never meant to hurt you." He dragged them both over so he could lean back against the sofa, still sat on the floor, and pulled her knees to either side of his hips. "Forgive me my darling." Kjaan held the back of her neck and kissed her passionately, chewing on her moans as he used his other hand on her hip to lower her down onto him.

He gathered some of her secretions on his cock, moving the crown up and down her labia to gather it, before pressing deep into her. Amber took hold of his shoulders and arched against him, moaning loudly and with no shame. Not anymore.

"OOooooh Kjaan!" She whimpered, and cradled either side of his dark blue hood, taking those creamy lips and moaning into the kiss. She writhed against him, guided by his hands on her hips. "So-so good!"

"You are so beautiful. My Sun goddess." He leaned back to watch her rise up and down on his cock, pawing at her navel and kneading her breasts gently. He craned his head over to lick and suck at her nipples, loving the howling noises she gave him. "You are magnificent. Every noise excites me. Every touch, every feel, every spark of pleasure. Oh my darling Amber." Kjaan was in awe of her. She griped his shoulders and rode him like her salvation depended on it. He watched the way her breasts bounced, her skin became covered in a thin sheen, and her golden hair swayed as she arched and ground her body into his.

Amber took one hand from his shoulder and cupped his cheek, kissing him and trembling. She clung to him and shuddered, whispering his name as he came so hard she forgot how to breathe. Kjaan's hands gripped at her tightly, his knees coming up and whole body cradling hers like an anchor. Holding him from losing his mind to the overwhelming climax. Pleasure throbbed through them both as they came. "You become so tight when you cum. I can't hold on afterwards." He was panting and leaned back against the sofa with a big grin on his face. "Sex is always amazing with you Amber."

"Right back at you." She stretched her arms up and smiled, completely satisfied. Amber had had sex before, but never as intense and as fantastic as it was with Kjaan. She was quickly becoming addicted to him. When she lowered her arms her wrists were taken and her hands were placed tenderly against his chest.

"I'm sorry for hurting you my dear. Are you ok now?"

"Huh?" Amber raised a brow and blinked at him. "Hurt me?" He nodded with sad eyes. "You didn't hurt me. You did the opposite." She blushed and took her hands from his chest to cup his cheeks.

"But you said you were so close it hurts?"

"…oh…I didn't mean _literally…"_ She chuckled nervously when he opened his mouth in shock, and then pouted.

"Amber!? I was really worried!" He mirrored her, holding her face and bringing their foreheads together. "I thought-but-oh never mind. You're ok, and we had very enjoyable sex. But next time? I'm not letting you change the pace like that." He teased her and held her close as he heaved them both up to their feet. He carried her, his cock sliding out as they walked towards the bedroom. "I was enjoying eating you." Amber burned with a blush, not doubting him, and not wanting too put him off doing that again next time…

"Yes and you were very…good at that…" Her cheeks were still blushing pink as he lowered her into the shower. "Yeah I'm all sweaty and sticky again." She groaned, faking annoyance with a smirk on her face. she giggled when his hands, lathered in soap, started to caress and massage her shoulders and back.

"Worth it though, I'm sure."

"…yes…" Kjaan chuckled. He was becoming acutely aware at how reserved his mate was. Getting her to admit when she wanted or enjoyed something would be his greatest delight.

"Once we have done here, I'd like you to answer the rest of those questions." He smoothed his hands around to her front and paid extra attention to foaming up her breasts and navel. "Did you read question 8 before you lost your patience, my dear one?"

"No I didn't." Amber turned in his arms and pressed her soapy body up against his, making him chuckle as she wriggled to transfer to the foam to his body. Her hands then came up to draw pictures in the suds on his chest. "Do you remember what it was?"

"I do." Kjaan blushed and cleared his throat. "But it's not as light hearted as the others. You shouldn't feel that you have to answer it straight away."

"Well now I'm curious?" She giggled as he moved them both under the shower head to rinse off. "What _was_ question 8?"

"When do you want to have children?"

Oh.

Yes that's not a light hearted question at all.

Amber tensed, sending alarm signals through Kjaan instantly. "There is no rush. You will have no pressure from me, I assure you." He saw the stunned look on her face, and chuckled nervously. She seemed to be stuck in her own thoughts as he spoke to her. "It would be quite some time I'm sure. Adopting would be our only option and there would be legal documents to fill out before having a child sorted with us. You don't need to worry Amber. Even if we started the process today, it might take years before _we_ were given a child." She still didn't come out of her trance. "After all? Our familial system usually prevents a child going uncared for unless there is a tragedy that takes out so many members of a family unit that they can't-"

"Oh shit." Amber finally emerged from her trance and scrambled out of the shower. "No no no no." She threw a towel over herself and ignored the distraught way Kjaan was chasing her. He didn't even bother with a towel. Dripping wet he reached to take her wrist.

"My dear one? please don't be upset! There is no rush! We don't have to have children for years yet!" Aided by how slippery they both were, Amber twisted her wrist free and didn't stop her mad dash until she slid along the floor to the main control station on the wall by the kitchen. "My dear one _please_ don't be upset."

"Wait." Amber shot over her shoulder at him, almost like he was a nuisance, before rubbing her hands over her towel and pressing furious commands into the screen. "Hang on…"

Kjaan realised that she had no intention of talking to him, so he instead watched the screen intently. He hoped he would gleam what she was thinking by seeing what she had to urgently flee from their imitate shower to attack the computer screen for.

Kjaan folded his arms, ignoring the chill on his set blue and cream skin as he watched her. First she logged into a remote access for the initiative embassy. Then she logged into something called the Nexus intranet, and finally brought up a personnel profile. "…come on…load faster…"

"Oh it's you." Kjaan smiled, seeing a photo of his mate, wearing her trademark work scowl, and her white leather uniform. Beside her image was a long list of service history, medical history, dietary requirements and of course, current assignment. "Why are you looking at your file darling one."

"Because I want to see if the CRC have realised that I'm married."

"The CRC?" Kjaan blinked, clueless, and accepting his role as spectator. He no longer felt that _he_ had upset her, but that something he had said had sparked her concern. She wasn't being hostile towards him, but seemed totally focused on what _did_ concern her. "What is that?"

"Oh shit…"

"Amber?"

"Those smarmy fuckers." Amber groaned and tapped a small line of text to the right of her image in the medical history box. "How did they find out already?"

"Amber? Who are the CRC, and why would they care if you are joined?"

"Mother fuckers."

Amber double tapped the line of text and it enlarged to occupy the bulk of the screen. "Shit. Legally I have no foot to stand on. Bollocks." Kjaan was very confused, so he read the highlighted text.

"What does…approved for implantation mean?"

"It means I'm screwed by the bloody fine print."


	13. Chapter 13

Amber double tapped the line of text and it enlarged to occupy the bulk of the screen. "Shit. Legally I have no foot to stand on. Bollocks." Kjaan was very confused, so he read the highlighted text.

"What does…approved for implantation mean?"

"It means I'm screwed by the bloody fine print." She groaned and knew there was no way around this. "Oh sit down dear husband." Amber pointed to the kitchen chair and tongued at her cheek, livid and composing herself before she spoke. "Ok. So…the CRC is a very important part of the initiative." Amber ran her hands back through her damp blonde hair and groaned unhappily. "When signing up to the initiative we all had to take genetic screening tests to ensure we would be capable of…breeding…once colonies were set up. If we fell in the age gap for successful breeding…which I do…" She sighed, seeing the worried look on his face, and berated herself. _I've probably worried him half to death with the way I ran from him._ "Kjaan." She spoke more softly and saw him lift his arms to her. She decided to let him have the intimacy he craved. He was going to need it. "CRC stands for colonial repopulation committee."

"Repopulation?"

"Yes." Amber settled on his lap and did feel better with his arms around her waist. "I am a fertile human female and I had to sign a legally binding contract before I was allowed to join the initiative and go into cryosleep. I…had to agree that once conditions were favourable that I had to contribute towards the…repopulation effort."

"But you are _my_ mate." Kjaan held her tighter and frowned. "No one is allowed to lay with you but me."

"No, they're not…hang on." She held his cheeks and smiled reassuringly at him. "I didn't sign a form saying I'd let any guy have sex with me until I was pregnant." She shook her head, seeing him relax. "If the CRC thought that a fertile member of any of the intuitive races was in a 'favourable position' to reproduce, they would call up their number for evaluation."

"What does that mean?"

"It means…that I am now married, I have a home on Aya with you, and I am in a safe viable location." Kjaan nodded, following her so far. "The CRC has 'approved' my conditions for implantation."

"What does that mean?" He asked more sternly than the first time.

"It means that fertile human males can and have donated their genetic material ready for insemination or implantation." Kjaan still stared at her. "The CRC want to carry out a medical procedure to introduce the…genetic material into my body to fertilise me."

"…they wish for you to have a child?"

"Yes, they do." She groaned and looked back towards the screen. "In their mind I fit the criteria exactly. At the moment everyone has taken chemical blockers to prevent pregnancy. Without enough stable colonies established the CRC are basically redundant at the moment. But then _I_ go and get married, _joined_ , to an Angaran male, get a family residence, safety and security…I'm the right age and health to have a child…and they will not give a shit that we have been married for all of 3 days."

"Do your people not have the right to say no?"

"Normally, yes, but we all signed a contract." Amber held her face and groaned. "If I refuse I can have my initiative rights revoked."

"Such as?"

"I'd lose my job for a start." Her hands sagged to her lap, and she grumbled to one side. "Oh hell I could get recalled!" Amber gasped, panic in her eyes.

"Recalled were?"

"…to cryosleep…"

"No!" Kjaan stood and held her in his arms. "They can't do that. You are Angaran now. They cannot take you from me without it being a diplomatic incident." He shook his head, the burning need to protect his new mate roaring in his blue eyes. "Let them take your job if they must. I can support us both, and you can seek employment with the Angara. But you will not be forced into something you do not wish to do." He nodded, rubbing her arms and seeming her calm down. "If you don't want children, then you shouldn't have to have them." He swallowed deeply and forced a smile to his face.

"…but that's the thing." Amber held the back of her neck and missed the sad way he was looking at her. "I do want to have a child. But I didn't want one _yet._ " Kjaan's smile lifted. "Like I told you earlier? I never had a really family. one day…I hoped to have one. A big one."

"You will certainly have that." Kjaan rubbed her arms.

"My own family." she countered up at him. "If I say no to the CRC…I might go to the bottom of the waiting list."

"Alright. And how long is that?" Kjaan nodded, hope rekindled in his chest. His mate _did_ want children! Ancestors be praised. He had feared…but there was no need to dwell on that now.

"Hang on." Amber walked back over to the screen and started entering some commands. "There's a calculator app here. Apparently it updates the time line every time the pathfinder get's more colonies up and running, and when each outpost becomes more viable…oh fuck."

"What?" Kjaan hurried to her side and looked to the screen with wide blue eyes. "…10 years?"

"That number will change the more the outposts become viable." Amber nodded, trying to reassure herself. "…but if I say no then other women will go to the front of the line…"

"And you may have to wait 10 years." Kjaan hummed in thought, and then clicked his fingers. "We wouldn't have to wait that long. We would be able to adopt an Angara child long before then. Not to mention you will become an aunt to all of my nieces and nephews."

"Yeah I guess…" Amber licked her lips and held the towel to her navel.

 _I don't want to sound ungrateful…because some women can't have any children of any kind…but…I'd always wanted to have one of_ _my own_ _. My husband is a different species, so the only way I'm going to get pregnant is with the help of the CRC._ "…4 days ago I wasn't married, and didn't have to think about how and if I would have children…so much has changed." She chuckled sadly and looked up at Kjaan. "This is a big decision. I'm sorry to ruin the mood of our days of closeness. But I can't imagine it will be too much longer before I get an appointment from the CRC to have the chemical blockers inactivated."

"Well…I never thought 3 days into being joined we'd be talking about making the decision if to conceive or not." Kjaan lifted her chin and hated the look of burden in her steely eyes. "We will have children. That is guaranteed. Do not fear you _must_ make a decision if you'd regret it later. Once the time of closeness is over, you will be welcomed into a large and loud family. My true mother would be delighted to be put to task in finding you a child to become the mother of, just not the true mother. And if the other mothers fell then you would be next in line."

Amber decided not to challenge him on how she didn't want to hope that the Kett killed off some of his relatives so she got to have a child.

"No. As great as that is, and I'll definitely integrate with your family Kjaan…"

"You wish to be a true mother." Kjaan nodded and smiled. "I think you know what your decision must be." He put his hands on his hips and shrugged. "It is clear that you couldn't bare not baring your own child. I…can't give that to you. This CRC can, but only if you agree to this now?" Amber nodded. "Then you must say yes." he smiled. "It's not that complicated darling one. After all? Had you been Angaran, you could have been pregnant already. It's not uncommon to have a child soon after becoming joined."

"But the baby would be human." Amber took one of his hands, used to his need for closeness now.

"The baby would still be mine, yes?" Kjaan narrowed his eyes intently at her. "I would be the only father?"

"Yes. It's done anonymously. To prevent ethical dilemmas about rights over progeny or preference of characteristics. In fact the CRC stance is to use the most viable combination of genetic material that would result in the child looking most like the mother."

Kjaan smiled and cupped her face.

"The baby would look like you?"

"Mostly, so they say." Amber relaxed now that he was smiling at her. "You really don't mind this? It's a big ask for you to-"

Kjaan kissed her deeply. He then took the towel off her and lifted her up to wrap her legs around his waist. "Kjaan?! Now is not the time to-"

"I was only concerned when I thought you would be forced to have a child you didn't want. Now I know you do wish to have a child, I am elated."

"You are?!" He walked them back into the bedroom and threw her down onto the bed.

"Yes! I told you dear one. It's common to have a child soon after the joining. Most firstborns are in fact conceived during the times of closeness." He crawled onto the bed after her and laid on his side beside her. "I was."

"…but that's by chance. This is going to be scheduled. Like, on a calendar. Oh and I'll be the first official pregnancy the CRC will have caused."

"And the first human child born on Aya, into an Angaran family." He added 'helpfully'. "We will get quite the attention, won't we?"

"Oh hell." Amber rolled onto her back and held her head. "I'm going to be a mum. Day 3 and I've decided to be a mum!" Amber flinched and threw her hands up above her head. "K-Kjaan!?" He circled the pad of his finger over her clit and licked at her nipple. "What are you-"

"Say that again." He purred and nipped playfully at her soft flesh. "But this time, say true mother."

"I…" She blushed like crazy. _He…likes the idea of me being a mum?_ "I'm…going to be a true mother?" He groaned and used a knee to push her legs open. "Kjaan?"

"I can't wait Amber." He moved to mount her, Amber's knees up by his sides and his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "We will contact the CRC person after I've made love to you to book in that appointment. And I will need access to all the reading material on human pregnancy and child birth. I have so many questions my darling one!" he attacked her neck, giddy as he kissed her. "Is it strange that the thought of you being with child is arousing?"

"Erm…"

"Hold that thought until after we've made love." He kissed her deeply and rocked his hips forward, sliding all the way in. "Oh Amber. How bright and wonderful my life is now you are in it. Ancestors be praised for bringing you into my arms my dear one."

Amber blushed like crazy and clung to Kjaan as he professed over and over how beautiful she was. How much he treasured her. How he looked forward to raising their child together. All whilst writhing with her in ecstasy.

Secretly…Amber smiled to herself. Kjaan dragged them both into a very efficient shower afterwards, to dress into their full uniforms, his was cream, hers was white leather and regulation. They stood in front of the computer screen and called up the CRC.

Amber barely said a word.

Kjaan fired so many questions the poor assistant that picked up the call had to keep checking their files to give him the right answers. The long and short of the conversation was that Amber said yes, they send her a special delivery to Aya with the pill to start up her menstrual cycles again, and even had a consultation booked in to review her health. The first and second step towards, what Kjaan called, becoming true parents.

Amber was absolutely terrified by the prospect of becoming a mother. Kjaan was wonderful…but they hadn't known each other long. She didn't exactly have great family experiences to draw upon…yet deep down she knew that she just couldn't pass up the chance to have a child of her own.

 _No matter what…I will always put my baby first…over the initiative, over Kjaan and over myself. I will not be like my mother…I will love this baby. No matter what, I'll protect and love it. with all my heart._

"My dear one! Now that's booked in, can we look at human babies? I long to see what they look like. Do they have hair? And teeth? Do you give birth to live young or lay eggs? If so, I'd sit on it if I had to." Kjaan nodded so eagerly, so adorably, that Amber's anxiety melted away.

"Ok, Mr I'll sit on your eggs, come and sit next to me on the sofa and let's watch a _miraculous_ educational vid about human pregnancy. Oh and just to warn you? The labour is…unpleasant."

"…is it scary?"

"…I'll let you be the judge…" She grinned, enjoying the pale look on his face. _Call me a sadist, but there is so much opportunity to tease Kjaan, I'm not sure I'll be able to help myself._


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's note. Yaoi ahead._

 _The same morning at Sanock's home._

Ethan wasn't sure if he was more anxious or excited as he waked into the training room. He had agreed to a wager with Sanock, where the loser of their bouts would sexually please the victor in his room at night, _and_ he'd spent the last hour reading through a very educational pamphlet. He had learned that the anatomy of an Angaran male, for all intents and purposes, was very similar to a human male. There were some differences of course. Like their ability to generate EM fields to stimulate their partner, and the muscles and nerves in their penises allowed for more movement than he ever thought a cock should have, but at the same time he was reassured. Everything 'went in the same place', and the methods for pleasuring Sanock would be the same, so Ethan allowed himself to focus on their similarities, not their differences.

As he walked into the training room he saw Sanock was already waiting for him. He wore a set of black boots, combat trousers, and nothing above the belt. This allowed Ethan to see every flex of his muscles beneath his pale green skin and black chevron markings. Yellow eyes dropped down over Ethan appreciatively, making him smile. There was a hungry light to the war hero's gaze. Sanock was anticipating the outcome of this match as well.

"Good morning Sanock." Ethan looked around the hall and saw a long black line, the width of A$ paper, taped to the floor. He pointed to the long rectangle and raised a raven eyebrow. "I take it this has something to do with today's training?"

"Yes, you can take it."

Sanock's smirk was filthy as he walked over to the side wall of the training room. He retrieved two long wooden combat sticks and threw one of them through the air at Ethan. He caught it in one hand, making his baggy white t shirt lift up just enough to expose his flat navel and bellybutton, before he lowered his arm again. Ethan also wore black pumps and harem pants to allow for unrestricted movement.

One thing he had learnt already from his sparing matches with the Heskaarl general, was to use his speed and agility to his advantage. Sanock was too strong to go head to head with in a test of strength. So instead he would adopt more of a Salarian meets Asari style of fighting.

Not to say that a few underhanded Krogan moves wouldn't find there way in there if he had the opportunity to give a faint or an uppercut.

"Really? We're flirting in training now?" Ethan chuckled as he walked up to the edge of the tape, but didn't stand on it.

"When have we _not_ flirted during training?" Sanock span the combat stick, showing off he was proficient as he cut through the air around his shoulders to let it land spin at his nape and land in the palm of his other hand.

Ethan chuckled, realising Sanock was right. He had been flirting with him, laying it on thick for quite some time now. Ethan had simply not been sure about what signals he was receiving until this morning.

"Well I've been quite tame with the flirting." He shrugged and held the stock across his shoulders, using it as an anchor as he began stretching off. He turned his upper body to the right, and then to the left, bent his knees and did some lunges.

"Don't be tame, Ethan." Sanock rolled his shoulders, having done his stretches before his prey had arrived. "Now let me explain the rules." He stepped onto the tape and had to have one foot in front of the other to stay on the long black rectangle. "I have sensors around the edge of the tape. The will detect if either of us step off."

"So it's a contest of balance?" Ethan smirked. He was so going to win this.

"In essence." Sanock was also smirking, showing he was confident as well. "Though as you can see we have the ability to try and knock the other person off."

"Is it the first to fall off, or best out of three?"

"The latter."

"Mmmmm." Ethan pulled one knee up to his chest, and then the other. "Don't worry Sanock."

"Hmm?" he raised a brow, watching as Ethan stepped onto the tape and raised his combat stick with both hands.

"When I win? I won't make you swallow."

Ethan thought that the smirk on Sanock's green lips was filthy. He raised his combat stick and winked at Ethan.

"You will enjoy being wrapped around my cock Ethan. I'm only at a loss what position to bent you into first…"

 _Thank God I'm wearing loose pants. Or he'd see the semi I'm sorting. Damn he's hot. He's skilled enough that there's a real risk of him winning if I don't concentrate._

Ethan took a deep breathe and looked along the edge of the combat stick. _No matter what, I'm going to win either way in bed tonight. But I can't 'go down' without a fight. It's just not in my nature._

They both advanced slowly along the tape, and when they met there were a few testing parries. Things only got serious when Sanock made a low sweep for Ethan's closest ankle, and had to duck from Ethan's strike to his face. Neither connected, but both grinned like crazy. The echo of combat sticks clanging off each other and the grunt of their owners bounced around the room. Either man was capable of not giving his all to the fight.

Sanock managed to hook his combat stick around Ethan's and lifted it up. Their chests pressed together and Sanock brought his knee up into Ethan's ribs.

Fump.

"Ah shit!" Ethan looked up grumpily and Sanock was grinning.

"That is one to me, and nil to you."

"It's the best of three, Sanock." Ethan's pout drew the Angaran veteran close as he offered the combat stick back to him. "I'll get the next win."

"Will you?" Ethan took hold of the end of the stick and Sanock shrugged. "Because from where I'm stood you're looking very close to a sweet surrender."

"Why do you say that?" Ethan blushed, casting his gaze downward. No, his semi had calmed down, so it wasn't like he was tenting at the guy.

"It's a feeling."

"I don't surrender." Ethan chuckled and resumed his battle stance. "I win, draw, very rarely lose, but I don't give up."

"Not even if I promise that if I win I will make passionate love to you and make you cum twice?"

Ethan gulped. "I read that pamphlet you sent me. It seems easy enough a task. Given enough time, patience and plenty of lubricant."

Aaaand the semi was back. "If you surrender now, I promise you that fate."  
"And if I don't surrender?" Ethan took a cautious step towards him on the tape.

"Then when I win, you'll put that smart mouth of yours to use and I'll be the only one coming." Sanock parried Ethan's attack, and still smirked at him.

"Ever the strategist, ay Sanock?" Ethan stuck forward again, and backed Sanock up a few steps. "Stand from a position of strength and offer a deal when the enemy thinks he's at a disadvantage. To choose the lesser of two evils."

"That does prevent needless violence and a swift resolution."

"Swift my ass." Ethan grit his teeth.

"Yes… _your ass_ indeed."

Ethan exhaled deeply and shook his head. He was so confident in himself, that Ethan just _had_ to kick his ass. _Alright. Time to be Krogan about this._

"Hay Sanock? Catch!" Ethan threw the combat stick at Sanock. He swung his own weapon round to swat it to the side, turning his upper body to the right. Ethan didn't hesitate. He launched forward, running on the tape and tackled Sanock low at his hips. He lifted the pale green warrior up and threw him to the ground.

To the right of the tape. "Oh dear? Are you on your ass there Sanock?" Ethan took hold of his bulge and smirked down at his flustered opponent. "I hope you don't get lock jaw easy. I have quite the stamina. You're going to be face fucking my cock for quite some time."

"It's one all Ethan. Best of three." Sanock was finding it difficult not to stare at Ethan handling himself.

"Well what are you waiting for sweetheart?" Ethan winked at Sanock, picked up his combat stick and backed away from the testy Angara. What was he frustrated at most? The fact Ethan had bested him? Or that he was flaunting his arousal like that? Sanock was blushing dark green on his cheeks as he stood holding his staff. This was a new look for him. Bashful? Really? Ethan then grinned widely and chucked. "What's the matter? Don't like my pet name for you? Sweetheart?"

The blush intensified and Sanock raised his staff ready.

"It is one thing to flirt. It is another to taunt me." Ethan put his hands up, about to apologise. "To show me your need and then give me a name of endearment, knowing I can't act on them is unfair Ethan."

"Unfair?" Ethan blinked and nearly lost his balance as Sanock swept his combat stick wide across him. Ethan barely managed to block and step back on the tape.

"Yes. Very unfair."

Sanock seemed to be attacking in unrest now. Had he upset him? Ethan had to put his game face on as well. Sanock's attacks were getting brutal. The chat had ceased and now they fought like they did in their first few sparing matches. Really trying to beat the other down.

Ethan saw an opening and round house kicked Sanock. The green Angara wobbled, but managed to grab onto Ethan's leg before he went down.

With a huff they both landed on the floor Sanock on his back and Ethan on his front. "Damn it. Two all."

"Next one decides it." Ethan pushed himself up to his knees and stood at the same time as Sanock. They both watched each other intently as they retrieved their combat sticks and took their positions.

"Indeed."

They both stared, calculating, coming up with their strategy for the last bout. Even though this was meant to be a game, both men were far too competitive to take this lightly. "You can still surrender Ethan."

"So can you."

"You have never offered surrender."

"No point. You wouldn't take it." Sanock smiled and nodded.

"Yes. That is true."

Clang.

They both launched forward and made an X with their combat sticks. Ethan grit his teeth, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold out against Sanock's strength for long. He managed to parry him back in time with taking three steps back on the tape. But as he predicted, Sanock came straight after him. So Ethan ran forward and barred the combat stick. It looked like he was going to try and ram Sanock. But when their weapons clashed this time Ethan pushed off with the coiled strength of his thighs. He vaulted over Sanock, released the combat stick in the air, landed on his hands on the tape right behind him, and kicked with both feet into Sanock's back.

Ethan let his feet land on the tape and he fluidly stood, walking forward and looking at Sanock. With one hand over his face and the other on his hip, Sanock was mortified. One of his feet had found purchase _off_ the tape. Ethan was chuckling as he came up behind him and cleared his throat.

"So that will be 3 to me, and 2 to you. I win."

"Damn it." Sanock huffed and turned to face Ethan with his arms across his chest. "I've never lost a game of Jiit'ka before. I thought for sure I'd beat you."

"Well? in all fairness? You nearly did?" Ethan put a hand on Sanock's shoulder and smiled up at him. "It was a close contest. And in all seriousness Sanock? If I offended you when I called you sweetheart then I'm sorry. I also won't force you to do anything you're not comfortable doing. You have my word on that."

Sanock blinked those big yellow eyes at him, and then leaned so close Ethan seriously thought they were about to kiss.

"I am not offended that you given me a name of endearment. I am in fact touched. I will think deeply about one that I feel matches you." Ethan blushed as Sanock tenderly held his waist with his left hand, and the right came up to hold his cheek. "You have won fairly Ethan. No matter what you ask of me this evening, I will do it. Glady. Then tomorrow?" His intense tone became light and he winked at him. "I will have a new contest ready. Tomorrow I will be victorious."

"Will you?" Ethan folded his arms and grinned up at him. "We'll see, sweetheart." Sanock groaned and took hold of Ethan's chin. "Do it." he challenged him, and Sanock brought his open mouth closer to Ethan's parted lips. Ethan closed his hazel eyes and his hands came to rest on Sanock's chest. _Finally we're going to kiss!_ Ethan leaned in, about to close the last bit of distance and kiss the hell out of Sanock, when they were interrupted.

"Daddy?" _oh shit._ Ethan and Sanock separated quickly, and they went their separate ways. Ethan busied himself with collecting the combat sticks and Sanock hurried over to his daughter. The pink little girl looked up at her father with a PDA in her hands. "Sorry for disturbing your training father. A call from the resistance headquarters came for you. Uncle Efra says it's important."

"Of course. I'll call him back right away. Wait for me in the living room."

"Yes father." Sanock kissed her forehead and waited until the light of his life had vanished around the corner.

Ethan put the combat sticks on the wall and sighed. _So much for getting my kiss. And now he's got a call from resistance HQ so I bet he gets called away. I win our fight, but I can very much see us not even getting to-_

Ethan was shoved round and pressed up against the wall.

"Sano-" Sanock held his cheek with one hand, his waist with the other, and kissed him deeply. Ethan moaned and held his muscular back, holding him close and returning the kiss wantonly. His tongue felt exactly as it should, and his lips were thin but firm. Sanock's hand travelled from his cheek to his raven curtains, kissing him hungrily.

"Hold that thought." Sanock whispered to his lips and pulled away. "I have it."

"Hmm?" Ethan was still dazed from that kiss. What a kiss! Ethan had shared many kisses before, but _that_ was the most erotic and mind numbing kiss he'd ever had.

"Honey." Sanock ghosted his lips over Ethan's jaw and to his ear. "You are like honey to me. I am your sweetheart, and you are my honey." He nibbled on his ear lobe and winked at Ethan. "Until tonight, honey."

"Ahem." Ethan tried to compose himself. "Unless you're called away?"

"I have a guest and a child. I might have to leave and consult on something, but I will return soon enough." Ethan licked his lips and gasped as Sanock reached down and grabbed his ass. "I expect you to be showered and ready for me this evening. I'll come to your room, and as you won you get to have whatever you want. Use this time to think about what you will ask of me." Sanock smirked and rocked his hips forward into Ethan's, loving the strangled little gasp he released. "Because from now on I'll be the victor, and you will be at my mercy."

Sanock licked the outer shell of Ethan's hips, and he whimpered, clinging to his shoulders. "I'll see you later honey." He planted a hot kiss on his neck below his ear, and marched off with purpose. Ethan was left to stew and compose himself against the training room wall.

 _Holy crap. That was hot._ Ethan licked his lips and steadied his breathing and his cock. He decided against walking straight out of the training room with his pants tenting. He did some warm down stretches instead. Ethan was a confident man. He was masculine, affirmative and knew what he wanted. He wasn't camp, and very rarely played into any of the stereotypes. In fact, he gave off such a vibe that women regularly hit on him on nights out. The men that usually found him attractive were submissive, and the dominant men well…they were only good for sex. Actually getting along with was the issue. Ethan was a dominant personality…but he didn't enjoy being dominant in the bedroom. He'd tried it a few times. It just didn't feel right to him.

But Sanock? Ethan trembled and ran a hand back through his raven curtains. _That man pinned me to the wall and kissed me like we were having sex. Fuck that felt great. He's laid back and we get along. He's fun. And he fights like a demon._ Ethan chuckled, finally 'safe' enough to leave the training hall and hit the showers. _I can respect a man who knows what he's doing. He's wise too. Not some hot head who can throw a punch._ There was something intense about Sanock that drew Ethan to him. _If that kiss was anything to go by? He will have no problem taking charge when we finally do have sex._

Ethan stood in the showers and washed his hair as he thought of tonight. _what do I get him to do? The aim of the game is he gets me off. But…I want to explore him as well. I don't want to ruin the game by just saying 'let's have sex'…so…what is my game plan here?_

Ethan was laid on his bed, on his front and propped up on his elbows. He was swiping through the pages of a book on his PDA when a knock came at the door. Immediately Ethan's heart rate picked up and he felt adrenaline course through his veins. He moved to sit on the bed and fussed with his raven curtains. He then took a deep breath and nodded.

"Come in?" The door opened and in came Sanock. He was wearing black boots, cream trousers with black diamonds up the sides and a black tunic. Very different from his combat gear. His ocean green Rofjinn hung around his neck and highlighted his pale green skin.

"Good evening Ethan." Sanock entered the room and then pressed the lock button, so they wouldn't be disturbed. "I'm sorry I was gone all day. Teefa has just returned from her friend's house. I trust you weren't too bored?"

"Nah I caught up with Sasava and asked about some of the odd jobs I gave her." Ethan cleared his throat and stood, happy to start with small talk. "I also managed to call my friend Amber for a bit. To check on how she is coping with matrimonial bliss." He chuckled, aware that Sanock was walking right up to him but not deterred. "She's the one who became joined to Kjaan Kah Leeda."

"Oh? Yes there's been quite some talk about those two." Sanock smiled brightly and put his hands on his hips. "The first interspecies joining. The first human to become Angara. It's a big deal."

"Yeah it is." Ethan nodded, smiling with pride. "She's doing really well, she says. Apparently in between fucking all over their new house, she's been put forward by the CRC to become pregnant. My friend, hard ass Amber, is going to be a mother within the next year." Sanock's yellow eyes widened and his smile was bright.

"That is wonderful news. They have both decided this?" he added as an after thought.

"Yeah." Ethan folded his arms and chuckled. "On the vid call with Amber i saw the funniest argument I've ever seen." He sniggered and Sanock enjoyed the twinkle in his hazel eyes. "Kjaan was reading something abd proclaimed 'my darling one! They can give you medication so you ovulate multiple times! We should do that so we have twins! Or triplets!'." Ethan wiped an amused tear from his eyes as he turned to look up at Sanock. "Man, Kjaan had to move so fast to avoid Amber's foot up his ass. She-she said 'you can have twins or triplets when YOU are the one pushing them out of your vagina!'"

"Hilarious!" Sanock barked with laughter and held Ethan's shoulder. "I have witnessed one of my sisters giving birth to twins, and many of my sisters giving birth to one child at once. I do not envy women for that task."

"Nor do I." Ethan chuckled and then realised just how close they were. He inclined his head to look up into those dashing yellow eyes and felt his mouth curve into a smile. "So yeah I've not been bored. I've spoken to my friends."

"Excellent." Sanock cleared his throat and tugged at the shoulder of his shirt. "Will you be needing this?"

"…no?" Ethan grinned as Sanock eagerly took hold of his shirt and lifted it over his head. _Lost our patience have we?_

"And these?" Sanock slipped a finger down the waistband of his shorts and waited for Ethan to shake his head. "Then allow me to help you out of them as well." His voice was apprehensive but steady as he pushed Ethan's shorts down to his knees. Sanock kissed Ethan hungrily, like he'd noticed how close those lips where and couldn't resist any longer

"Mmmmm" Ethan leaned into the kiss and enjoyed the heat of it.

"Forgive me." Sanock leaned back and chuckled. "I am very eager to start."

"I can tell." Ethan chuckled and kicked his shorts off. Now stood in only his boxers he allowed his hands to feel at Sanock through his clothes.

"I have thought of little else than this moment all day." He fisted at Ethan's boxers low on his hips and groaned. "I can't remember the last time I felt so excited like this."

"Careful?" Ethan teased and held Sanock's hands in place, stopping him from disrobing him. "I won, remember?" He smirked as the Angaran vet groaned. "I get to call the shots."

"I know." Sanock nodded and pressed his forehead to Ethan's. "You have but to ask, and I will give you want you want." That promise made Ethan shudder and think of so many things he wanted Sanock to do to him. It was almost impossible to think what he wanted _first._ Then Ethan tasted the tea on Sanock's breath and knew what to ask for first.

"Kiss me." Ethan half shut his eyes and moaned as Sanock captured his lips and slid his tongue in to caress his. There had been no hesitation.

Ethan fisted at Sanock's belt and pulled them flush together. He didn't want to rush them being together, but he was also desperate to touch more of his soon to be lover. _I have to remember my plan._ "Mmmm Sanock?" Ethan chuckled as his mouth was dominated, barely letting him get a word in edgeways. "Please kneel for me?" Sanock kissed Ethan's chin, then down his neck, the midline down his torso and fluttered kisses along the waistband of his boxers. Ethan was panting already. Once he was sure Sanock had good purchase on his knees and bit his lips and held the back of Sanock's head with his right hand. With his left he pushed his boxers down, bending at the knee briefly to let them pool around his ankles. His cock sprang free and Ethen almost came undone right then and there.

The sight of Sanock staring at his cock and his lips parting and his tongue swiping at them, sent an excited shudder through the human. "Open wide." Ethen held the base of his cock with his left hand and used his right hand on Sanock's head to bring his lips around his cock. "Oo-ooh S-Sanock." He moaned. Sanock sealed his mouth around Ethan's crown and slowly sank down the shaft. "Fuck." Sanock's hands came up to hold onto his hips and both of Ethan's hands cradled and stroked at the hood around Sanock's head.

Aya's top war hero, Ex Heskaarl general and resistance recruit trainer, was bobbing his head on Ethan's cock. To think such a powerful man was sucking and dragging his tongue along the underside of his cock was maddening. He was really going for it too. Ethan felt his mind fogging over and he moved his left hand to hold Sanock's right to his hip. He guided it up his navel and six pack. Ethan closed his eyes and moaned when he brought Sanock's hand up to his chest. "T-touch me. Please Sanock." Sanock moved both hands. He teased at Ethan's nipples, explored his abs and waist, and even slid a hand up between his legs to take firm hold of his ass. Ethan bucked forward ever so gently and groaned at his ministrations. Between Sanock's masterful hands and the wet heat around his cock, Ethan didn't know how long he'd hold out for. It felt amazing. "Fuck you're amazing at this sweetheart." Sanock hummed deeply and a tingling sensation started to spread throughout his groin. It was an odd feeling, but pleasant. _He must be doing that EM Angaran thing the pamphlet talked about. Kinda nice actually._

Ethan stroked his hands down Sanock's arms and held the back of his head with both hands. He tried to keep his hips under control, but it was so hard not to thrust forward and fuck that godly man in the face. "I-I'm getting close." Ethan recognised the rising feeling throbbing deep within him. "I'd like to cum in your mouth, if that's alright? But-erm-don't feel you gotta swallow." Ethan whined towards the end. He had his eyes clenched tight and his breathing was becoming choppy. As were his hips becoming jerked. "Oooh so fucking close." Sanock swallowed around his cock, increasing the suction and humming. That tingling sensation got even stronger, and it tore the last shreds of resolve from him. He cried out with bliss as he came, shuddering from the strength of it and barely keeping on his feet. Sanock must have realised what was happening as he released his nipple and ass to steady his hips. All the while he suckled his cock to milk every wave of pleasure from him.

Ethan flopped back onto the bed behind him and sighed with sweet relief. He chuckled as he heard Sanock spitting and turned his head to see him wiping his mouth with a hanky.

"I…tried to…it doesn't taste very nice does it?"

"I told you not to swallow." Ethan giggled and waved for Sanock to come and lay next to him on the bed. "I really don't know how they do it in pornos."

"Nor do I." Sanock lowered to his side next to Ethan and licked his lips. "Was…that as it should have been for you?"

"Was that the first time you've given a guy head?" Ethan turned onto his side and propped his elbow up on the mattress to hold his chin. "It was fantastic, by the way."

"Oh good. I've never desired a man before and I wanted to do it right. Your pamphlet was…not as helpful as I would have liked. I had to do some research on the Kadara intranet to learn about human sexual preferences."

"Oh…exiles educated you how to…ok." Ethan snickered with amusement. "Well no complaints here. Damn. I'm going to have to try and win every match we have."

"Oh no." Sanock mirrored him, resting his chin on his fist and smirking. "I'm winning the next round."

"You so sure?" Ethan leaned closer and used his free hand to caress Sanock's neck. His slipped his fingers beneath his Rofjinn and drew teasing circles.

"I am." Sanock groaned and used his free hand to take hold of Ethan's chin. He groaned when Ethan raised a leg and hitched his knee up against Sanock's waist. "That is unfair."

"How so?"

"Do you have _any_ idea how arousing this has been for me?" Sanock growled and nipped at Ethan's bottom lip. "How much I want to take you right now?"

"Oh really? Is it this much?" Ethan brought his free hand up and held an inch of air between his thumb and finger. "Or this much?" He parted his fingers a little more.

"Ethan." Sanock threw his arms around his human lover and pulled him flush against his front. "I want you more than I want to breathe." He rasped and latched onto Ethan's neck, kissing and nipping as be continued. "You are beautiful and powerful. Your every arch and dip entices me. I want to map every scar on your body and learn every story behind them. I want to know how it feels to be deep inside you, all of you, and-un-gn-ho."

"Sorry, what was that?"

Ethan had used the distraction to unbuckle Sanock's belt and reach down into his pants. He had a firm hold of Sanock's cock and slowly fed it out of his fly. "You were saying something?" Ethan smirked as he was carefully rocked onto his back. Sanock moved carefully, as his lover still had hold of his shaft with both hands. The feather light way he stroked him was both delightful, and torturous. "Sanock?"

"You are wicked Ethan." Sanock knelt between Ethan's thighs and held his knees open to admire his lover. He moaned and looked down, seeing Ethan's supple fingers work his dark green cock. "Let me make love to you."

"No." Ethan grinned and pumped him faster. He relished to pained look on his lover's face. "When you win, you get to fuck me. However you want. Tonight is my night. I'm going to play with your dick until you come all over me. You don't get to put any part of you inside of me, until you win."

Sanock strangled a cry and gripped Ethan's knees.

"You are a vixen!"

"And when you win? Won't you feel like you've _earned_ the right to fuck me?"

"When I _win_ Ethan Queen, I will fuck you so hard you won't be able to sit down for a week as revenge for this." He smirked and grit his teeth, residing himself to enjoy as much as Ethan would give him.

"Promises promises." Ethan licked his hand to add some lubrication. He loved the sight of Sanock trembling and holding onto his knees, bucking into his hands as he pumped him towards release. "Next time I win? I'm tying you up. I'm going to cover you in cream and lick it off you as I please. I'm then going to cover my cock in cream and make you suck me dry. _Then_ I'm gong to cover your cock in honey and like it like a lollypop." He made his lips smack at the end of his taunt and grinned devilishly. Sanock was hooked on his every word, like each seductive syllable was stroking his cock as much as his hands were. "And you will _love it."_

Sanock groaned and watched his dark green shaft moving back and forth between those strong pale fingers. He was panting and trembling.

"You are wicked, my honey trap." He grunted and bucked into Ethan's hands. "Fine. When I win _tomorrow_ I am going to tie _you_ up. You're going to suck _my_ cock, and then I'm going to play with your body until I'm ready to ram you into the bed." Sanock shuddered and closed his yellow eyes. Ethan knew that look. "You're going to scream my name Ethan. You're gong to beg me for more. You-oh my honey one." He mewled and finally came. Spirts of blue tinted semen shot forth. Ethan didn't stop pumping him until the last shudder left Sanock's body. His eyes were closed as he basked in the feeling, so Ethan took the moment lean up on his elbows and look down between them. One off blue streak had reached his chest, probably from the first spirt, and then there were a few shorter ones over his navel. Dribbling thickly from the grown was the majority of the cum, and Ethan had a devious idea.

Sanock flinched and snapped his eyes open as he felt Ethan lift the bulbous crown of his cock up for inspection. "Honey?"

"It's only fair, right?" Ethan let his finger slide forward and across the slit of his cock, gathering some of the cum and bringing to his mouth.

Sanock's jaw dropped and he watched Ethan 'sample' him, like a connoisseur would a new wine. "…different galaxy, different species, same tasting cum."

"…I…can't believe you just did that." Sanock teetered with laughter, amused by the grin and shrug Ethan gave him, and climbed back off the bed. "Let me help you clean up honey."

"Alright sweetheart." Ethan chuckled and let Sanock fuss over him. He used a tissue to wipe and put himself away first. After buttoning his fly and closing his belt clasp he guided his human lover into the bathroom. He stood Ethan in front of the sink and cupped warm water to his body, washing his semen from Ethan's body. Stood behind him, Sanock kissed and nipped at his neck appreciatively.

"Thank you for pleasuring me Ethan. You didn't have to elevate my suffering, but you did so anyway."

"I'm all for playing this game of yours." Ethan smirked and craned his head back to plant a teasing kiss on Sanock's lips. He then rested his head on Sanock's shoulder and sighed. "But I'm not a cock tease. Whenever I win, I'll always get you off in some way."

"You just intend to torture me first?" they both chuckled. Sanock had finished cleaning him, and simply held Ethan in his arms. "I never thought I could be so aroused it could be painful. Or maddening."

"I've never made anyone _that_ honey before." Ethan lifted his head and turned in Sanock's arms. His hands came up to smooth out his lover's Rofjinn affectionately. "Damn, I was so eager I never got to have you naked." Ethan pouted. "I _really_ wanted to have you naked."

"Next time?" Sanock chuckled and nuzzled Ethan's cheek. "Regardless who wins, let's agree to both be undressed. And kissing is fair game."

"Agreed. Speaking of which?"

"Come here honey."

As Sanock pressed him into the cold porcelain sink, Ethan couldn't help but think how he could get used to this. They shared a deep and passionate kiss before begrudgingly parting to sleep in their own beds.

"I could very easily become addicted to that man. Mmmmm. If Kjaan as half as good as Sanock? Then Amber must be sore and in sexual pleasure paradise right about now." Ethan chuckled as he showered and got read for bed. Wearing nothing but a pair of sleeping shorts he laid on his bed and beamed, still feeling the after waves of satisfaction. "I think I'd agree to have a baby if I was this sexed up all the time…"


	15. Chapter 15

Sasava was in her new office, sat at her computer, her left hand stroking a soft pink fuzzy Adhi teddy the size of an apple and stuck to her left on the desk, whilst the right drummed nervously on the counter. Her bright green eyes stared at her email account on her computer screen.

Kaffra was getting to the end of his tether. She was so tense it was putting him on edge. He let his icy blue eyes drift over to her again, seeing how she sat so stiffly and leaning in towards the computer. She'd barely touched the cup of tea he made her an hour ago. He had to fathom that her teal lips must be sore, with how often she'd chewed them since their shift started this morning.

In the end Kaffra turned his chair to face her, blatantly staring with his eyes narrowed and his arms folded over his chest. He wore black boots, orange trousers and a white long sleeved top, with the traditional brown straps and buckles across his outfit and his yellow triangular Rofjinn around his neck. Kaffra stared at the teal asari, dressed elegantly in a long white dress with semi-transparent fabric over her neck, shoulders and arms. Still she pet that pink toy and drummed her fingers on the counter.

"I have left you alone for 4 hours." Kaffra blurted out, unable to hold back anymore. "I can't take your incessant tapping and intense staring at your screen in total silence any longer. You will either snap out of it, or at least tell me what has would you up so tightly you appear like a coil about to pounce forth and take someone's eye out."

Slowly Sasava turned, like she'd awoken from a trance, to blink with confusion at Kaffra.

"…huh?"

"The staring? The tapping? The constant refreshing of your emails?" Kaffra groaned and rubbed his pale blue face. "Your job is to work with me, so you're not waiting for _me_ to email you. Is it one of the other roles you've picked up? Whilst Amber Kah Leeda is away on her time of closeness? Or are you waiting for something to do with Ethan's exchange work?"

"Oh…no sorry Kaffra." Sasava smiled sadly and put her hands together on her lap. "I didn't mean to distract you from your work. I apologise. I didn't realise I was tapping."

"…" He narrowed his icy blue eyes on her. It hadn't escaped him that she'd _not_ answered his question. "What, _exactly_ , are you worried about?"

"Worried?" Her voice was timid, and her green eyes were sheepish as she looked off to one side. "Nothing you need to know about, don't worry. It's not work related."

"But you admit that _something_ is bothering you?"

Sasava licked her lips and turned in her chair to look at her emails longingly. She even tapped the refresh icon, and sighed. No new emails. "Sasava?" She blushed and offered him a brave smile.

"It's a personal matter. Nothing that would affect my work, I assure you." She nodded eagerly.

"Sometimes I swear my translator must not be functioning correctly when I'm around you."

Kaffra hadn't lost his blunt manor. They'd been sharing an office now for 4 days, and even though they'd been working well together and becoming more comfortable, his curt 'way' shone through. This time however, Sasava knew not to take it personally. Kaffra was just being Kaffra.

"What do you mean?"

"I have now asked you _repeatedly_ to tell me what is wrong." He got up from his chair and towered over her, his stare intense and his presence more so. His hands went to his hips and he even leaned over her. "You have _repeatedly_ , _not_ told me what is _clearly_ bothering-"

Ping.

Sasava gasped and threw her chair back round to tap the email on the screen. Kaffra scowled, but decided to linger rather than demand her attention. She wasn't being forthcoming…but if she _foolishly_ opened the email whilst he _just so happened_ to be stood here…anything he learned would be both an accident _and_ her fault.

 _Dear RO Sasava Gaana._

 _In regards to your most recent request to have Keelana Gaana removed from cryosleep, we have reviewed your petition and have not found the selection criteria to have been met strongly enough for her reanimation. After your request I have relayed with the CRC for confirmation that there is a planned pregnancy on the books. However, one child is not enough to warrant the resources required to support Keelana Gaana's reanimation. Should circumstances change, we will of course inform you as her legal guardian._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Vladimir Brecka_

Sasava clenched her hands into fists and turned to look to her right. Propped up where her desk met the wall was a photo album. In that picture was her entire family, just before she left the Milky way. Talorga, stood with her face stoic but her arms open. Her right hand held onto Penifra, both who wore pristine lilac and blue dresses as a contrast to their deep blue skin. Her mother also wore a veil and headdress, and Penifra actually smiled. Under her mothers left hand was Teyxao, who was so pale blue she almost looked white. Her grin was crazy, as were her brown eyes, and she wore yellow merc gear in the picture. Stood in the middle of the bunch was Sasava, wearing her white leather initiative uniform, and her gloved hands rested upon the shoulders of her younger sister Keelana. She and her baby sister were beaming, wide smiles and bright green eyes. The only sign they had the same father. Keelana was lilac in colour and more athletic than Sasava. "Please don't cry Sasava."

She blinked, and turned to look up at Kaffra. He was frowning and offering her a tissue. "They can't say no forever." She licked her lips and bit them together as she took a deep breath.

"I know." She nodded and accepted the tissue, dabbing it to her face and exhaling choppily. "It was foolish of me to get my hopes up, I know." She sniffled and smiled through her watery eyes up at Kaffra. "You remember how Amber is now joined to Kjaan?"

"Yes, of course?" Kaffra folded his arms and blinked with confusion. "What does that have to do with this?" He nodded towards the computer screen.

"Well she is the first human female to match the criteria for the colonial repopulation committee to initiate part of the process to remove her chemical blockers." Kaffra narrowed his icy gaze on her and raised a brow. Clearly he didn't follow. "We all took chemical blockers to prevent pregnancy before coming to Andromeda. Now that Amber is married, in a stable home, on a stable outpost, she has been nominated and approved to be the first female to be 'unblocked' and inseminated."

"…she is to have another man's child?!"

"No." Sasava put her hands up and chuckled at the alarmed look on Kaffra's face. "No, she's to have anonymous donor genetic material introduced to her eggs. She and Kjaan have decided to go for it. Otherwise she could get put the back of the cue. Meaning she might have to wait a long time before being able to have children of her own."

"…I can't imagine there being a 'cue' to be allowed to have children." Kaffra leaned his hip against her desk and shook his head. "To have children is a sacred right and duty. We have incentives in place to increase the birth rate. We need more members of our race, or we'll lose the territories we are holding on to. The Kett…take so many…" He cleared his throat, not wanting to go down that route. "Your kind are all endangered here, yes? I'm surprised there are so many hoops to jump through to be allowed to reproduce."  
"We have very finite resources." Sasava shrugged and sighed. "The only reason _i'm_ not in cryo is because the director wanted to fully man the embassy here on Aya. Thousands still sleep because we don't have the facilities or resources for them. We…can't afford any new mouths unless specific criteria are all addressed."  
"And Amber Kah Leeda is the first to tick all the boxes?" Kaffra nodded. "So it's a big deal then?"

"Yes. The CRC have been redundant and twiddling this entire time. I'd wager they are rubbing their hands with glee since they found out about Amber."

"Ah!" Kaffra clicked his fingers and pointed to her screen, like he'd just caught up with her train of thought. "And because your sister is a midwife and child care expert, you thought that her skills could be useful."

"Yeah…but apparently not." Sasava turned to look at the screen as well with a frown. _"_ Like they said? 'One child is not enough to warrant the resources required to support Keelana Gaana's reanimation'."

"I see."

Kaffra moved to stand by her left side and leaned on her desk with his left hand. The right held the back of her chair and she tensed. This was likely the closest she'd ever been to Kaffra. He re-read her email and started nodding. "So negotiations have started."

"Negotiations?" Sasava blinked up at him. "They've clearly said no. Again."

"No they haven't." He chuckled, smirking as a plan came together. "Call yourself a Requisitions officer? Come now Sasava. You're better than that." He turned to look at her with the most arrogant grin she'd seen on his face yet. "When you've asked _me_ for preciously finite resources and I've said no, what have you done?"

"…" Sasava looked to the screen, and then up at him again with a twinkle in her green eyes. something that made his grin widen. "…I've made a counter offer. I would find something that you wanted badly enough to give me what I want. Something worth you giving me what I've requested. And visa versa, I might add."

"You might." He chuckled and nodded to the email up on her screen. "They have said no, but they've also foolishly given you a lead as to what they want."

"They have?" As Sasava looked to the screen she stared at the text, and saw his smirk reflected at her on the screen. "…one child is not enough…"

"And there you go." Kaffra lifted his right hand from the back of her chair to her right shoulder. "All you need to do now is make a counter offer. The CRC were redundant you say? Eager to do their jobs? Well perhaps you need to start mediating between both the CRC and the AVP departments? Find out the threshold needed." Kaffra went over to his desk, dragged his chair over and sat right next to her. He had his PDA and started to make a checklist. "If it were me? I'd speak to the CRC first. Not let the AVP department know what I was planning. I'd find out just what _is_ the criteria for implantation to be approved. Why did Amber meet their requirements. Then find as many women that _almost_ fit those requirements and would be open to becoming true mothers." Kaffra's fingers typed furiously as he spoke. He was so consumed with this plan, he didn't see the mystified way Sasava was looking at him. "Next order of business? See what needs to be done to meet that threshold. Then go to the AVP and warn them that x number of women are about to be approved for implantation. There is nothing they can do to stop it, so to prepare they need to release your sister from cryo. If they still say no, you can start getting direct with your threats. Outright ask them at what number they deem it necessary enough to provide the necessary antenatal and postnatal care for these women. Warn them that your saving all the logs and you will publish their answer. Get them _right_ under your fist."

Kaffra typed for another moment, and looked up with a wicked grin at Sasava. "You'll have your sister back in no time." his grin slipped. "…shit, what did I do now?" She was sobbing. Sasava's shoulders were bouncing, she chewed her teal lips and streams of tears dribbled down her cheeks and chin. "Sasava?"

"Thank you!" She cried and threw her arms around him. Kaffra tensed and gulped. Her arms locked around his neck and her face pressed into the crook of his neck and hood. She wept and clung to him desperately. "I-I-If this w-works I'll n-never be able t-t-t-o th-thank you I-"

Kaffra lifted his hands, then lowered them…he huffed and finally brought his hands up to hold her back. He groaned, thinking he'd done the wrong thing again when Sasava seemed to cry even harder. But then she lifted her head up and gave him the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. Even with her eyes shimmering with tears and her cheeks wet, she was beguilingly lovely. "You are such a good man Kaffra. You have no idea how much this means to me. I promise I'll repay you for this kindness one day. You didn't have to help me like this. Your plan-I think it might actually work."

"You should never doubt me when it comes to business negotiations. I never lose." He gave a rare smile of his own and even felt his cheeks blush warm blue. "I expect you to keep me appraised of your progress?"

"Absolutely!" She giggled and left one hand at the back of his neck and used the other to start wiping tears from her face. "If I get all my work done before the end of my shift, do you think I could start researching the CRC criteria whilst at the office? I don't have a computer in my apartment. I find staring at my small PDA a strain on my eyes after a while. And this is going to take some time."

"If you do you work, and you continue to be efficient, I see no reason for you to sit at your computer idle."

"Thank you Kaffra."

He forgot to breathe. Sasava planted a kiss on his cheek, a chaste and platonic thing, and yet it sent thunderous waves of butterflies through him. "I'm so happy! I'll get right back to work." Sasava took her arms back and turned to face her computer. Kaffra thankfully took his arms back in the same moment and stared at her. "Can I have a copy of this please?" She pointed to the action plan he made on his PDA.

"I will email it to you now."

Kaffra swiped the PDA and pushed himself and his wheely chair back behind his desk. Less than a minute later the plan pinged into Sasava's inbox. He turned to look at her out of the corner of his eyes and saw her smiling. She even hummed as she worked. Light and lovely. Hope twinkled in her eyes and she didn't disturb him for anything that wasn't work related.

For the rest of their shift Kaffra couldn't resist the urge to look discretely at her every now and then. She was so radiant when she was happy like this. And he'd never seen her _this_ happy before. she really was…so very beautiful…

Hours passed. Kaffra had two meetings with clients wanting to get a patent approved, and a dispute over trade routes. Both were resolved easily by referring to the correct documentation to decline the patent, and find the rightful owner of the trade route. It was near the end of their shift when Sasava finally spoke. "Got it! Yes!" She threw both fists into the air and cheered victoriously.

"Hmm?" Kaffra was startled from his secret staring and felt himself being pulled from his chair from her proclamation alone. "What do you have?"

"The CRC criteria for suitable implantation!" Sasava jumped up from her chair, held her fists together and danced on the spot as she made circles with her hands. A very odd dance, he thought. "Oh yeah. Stop one of operation get Keelana off Ice achieved!" Sasava giggled, jumped on the spot and punched the air. "Oh yeah!" Kaffra folded his arms and couldn't resist the urge to chuckle at her childish elation. It was…very endearing. But he cleared his face and seemed stoic when she turned to look up at him. "The CRC not only gave me the criteria, but they are desperate to get more females into the right conditions for implantation. It's their only job, after all."

"That is promising news."

"Yes I is. And it's thanks to you." Sasava giggled and swiped the computer screen, sending the criteria list to her PDA. "So they sent me Amber's profile to go off, as well as the bog-standard criteria. They said I could compare the two to help me identify potential future mothers."

"I see." Kaffra nodded at her. "Once you become familiar with the criteria, how will you identify which women are close to those requirements?"

"The CRC are going to send me a list."

"…they _really_ want to get as many females pregnant as possible, don't they?"

"Absolutely. We're all endangered, after all." She shrugged, swaying on the spot like she wanted to dance even as she read the list. "Oh? Apparently there are less criteria in place for certain species. Oh? Interesting. Looks like Salarian female only need to have a secure home and job to be approved."

"Why is that?" Kaffra moved to stand over her shoulder to look down at the PDA. He tried not to notice her swaying in front of him…

"Salarians only live for about 40 years. They will die out quicker than the rest of us if their numbers don't get going soon. Most were unreachable on the Paarchero, their ARK, but the pathfinder found that a few months back so now there are lots of Salarians."

"A good place to start?"

Sasava started giggling. "What's funny?" She turned on the spot to giggle up at him. "Sasava?"

"I'm the requisitions officer, and now I feel like I'm trying to make a requisition request for the wombs of any available female. To make babies. I'm going to make babies." His lips curved against his will into a subtle smile. "I-I mean I'm going to be responsible in part for those babies being made. B-but without being part of the making…part…"

"Perhaps now is the time to stop talking?" He smirked and chuckled at her.

"…yeah…but still!" Sasava blushed and held the PDA to her chest. "Salarians get approved more quickly. Human and turian females have more criteria to address, and there's a grey area between when they can _apply_ for approval, and when they are _nominated_ for it in line with their contracts. Amber was the latter."

"I can imagine." He still smirked as she chewed her bottom lip in thought. "What about Asari?"

It leapt from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Oh? Well actually we don't come under the same category." She shrugged, not phased by the question. "Asari don't reproduce the same way as the other Initiative species. Insemination wouldn't make a difference to us."

"Oh?" Kaffra looked up to one side, clearly baffled and wondering if he should ask…he closed his eyes, realised it would bug him incessantly if he didn't, and gave in. "How do Asari reproduce?"

"Oh." Sasava blushed, and held the back of her neck. In light of that question, she suddenly felt very close to Kaffra. She stood with the pale blue Trade minister in front of her and her desk right behind her. His icy blue eyes twinkled with mirth at the way she chuckled nervously. "Well, anatomically we're the same as human females in regards to…pregnancy and child birth. But conception for my species isn't the same. There is no fusion of sex cells. Sperm and eggs."

"…then _how_ do you make offspring? You're clearly not all the same, so you're not clones."

"No, we're not." She nodded. Kaffra appeared to have a scientific curiosity, so it as less embarrassing to explain. _Amber wouldn't want me to be vague as that can lead to misunderstandings and more work for her to do later. I'll give a text book answer. Best way._ "The Asari don't _take_ any DNA from the father at all. We perform a mental process called meld. Joining our mind to that of our partner." She paused, seeing his eyes widen in surprise. But he didn't stop her, so she continued. "Asari can use the Meld to share thoughts, experiences, memories, or during reproduction we can explore the genome of the one we wish to breed with. By searching through the partner's genetic heritage, we can use the template of desirable traits to randomise the genes of our offspring. This process leads to so many different potential genetic combinations, my race show the same amount of genetic variation as other species."

"…I see…so…the partner is the father…how?" He folded his arms, still a little confused, but trying to follow. "By providing a template of traits?"

"Yes." Sasava nodded. "If you were to look at the genome of the child and compared it to the father, their would be a match, as sure as if you were to compare the DNA of an Angaran father to their child. The only difference is, the child is still 100% Asari, even if they have 50% genetic variation to match traits from each parent. Oh! Let me show you."

"…what…?" Kaffra gulped as she took hold of his wrist and jerked him into following her to the other side of her desk. "Here, see?" Sasava traded her PDA for her family photo frame. "See my mother here? Penifra looks like mother, but you can tell that Teyxao looks different from Penifra, right?"

"…yes…?"

"They had the same father. A Krogan merc from mother's Maiden days." She giggled, like she'd shared a cheeky secret. "But me and Keelana had the same father. He was a Turian diplomat that talked his way into mother's bed on several occasions." She laughed, amused by something, and Kaffra discretely looked down to his wrist, which Sasava still held. "They practically had a summit meeting, which my sister Penifra took the minutes for, to negotiate over My mother agreeing to marry him and have more children with him. He asked for five children, she said 1, he countered with 3 and he'd work part time to accommodate. In the end Mother agreed to two children, and father had to quit his job to be full time dad whilst we were little."

"…" Kaffra found himself drawn to her again. That smile. That light laughter. He resisted the urge to frown when Sasava gasped and released his wrist.

"Oh, sorry, I totally just manhandled you."

"It's alright."

"I think it's because we're friends now. I forget you're my boss and just get all grabby. I'm so sorry Kaffra." She blushed and held the photo frame round to look at with tender green eyes. "My mother would have loved your business sense. She was ruthless at the negotiation table. Yeah, she would have liked you a lot."

"…that is very high praise." Kaffra cleared his throat and used his iron clad will not to let her see just how much that touched him. to have the approval of someone's true mother was an honour indeed.

"So to summarise? Yes, the father is still very much the father. Just as much as if their was a fusion of sex cells."

"I see that now." Kaffra retrieved her PDA and skimmed his eyes over it. "Ah? Asari are also easier to get approved than the turian and human females. Due to the lack of donor material required? Oh, that means no need for sperm?"

"Yes. That. We just need to…grab someone and meld with them…"

"Hmmm." Kaffra nodded and offered the PDA back to her. "You have your work cut out for you. As long as your work with me does not suffer, I wish you success in your endeavour. Keep me appraised of your progress."

"Yes Trade minister."

Her smile was so cheeky, he couldn't resist the smirk. Now he thought about it, that _had_ been a very formal address. He understood why she teased him.

"Good luck making all those babies. Don't be too worn out for work." Kaffra sniggered at the blush on her cheeks and returned to his desk. "Ah, our shifts are over. Good evening RO Gaana." He sat down and started to save and log off his terminal. Once done he stood to find Sasava holding her PDA cutely to her chest and waiting for him by the door. they walked together in comfortable silence to the transport terminal and Kaffra even offered her the first cab. "Good evening, Sasava."

"Good evening Kaffra." She blushed and beamed a smile at him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Until then." He shut the door and watched as the cab flew off. He was still smiling when the next cab pulled up. It didn't fall from his face until he walked into his empty apartment and sat with a cup of tea on the sofa.

The very moment his smile fell, was when the ringing sound from his PDA broke through the happy daze he left work with. "Ahhhhh, mothers." He picked up the PDA, took a deep breath and pressed the accept button. "Dehana, how are you?"

"That's mother to you, boy. Now whatever you are doing the day after tomorrow, cancel it." Kaffra groaned like he was a teenager. He knew what that meant.

"Family occasion, blind date, or both?" He rolled his icy blue eyes before letting them land on his mother's unamused scowl. "Well?"

"Your cousin Kjaan has become joined. Tomorrow is the last day of their closeness, and the welcoming celebration will be the following day."

"So I must attend."

"Yes. Now will you have your own date? Or if you like I can-"

"No!" Kaffra sat up on the sofa and begged her. "Do _not_ get me another blind date mother. Please? I barely survived the last one."

"Well you shouldn't be so off-putting, and then maybe you won't get slapped in the face?" despite her stern warning, Dehana sighed. "You're such a sweet boy underneath that hard shell. If you always push everyone back then no one will get close enough to see how big your heart is."

Kaffra sat back and groaned. _We're having this talk…again…_ "You are of the age where I should have been made a grandmother twice over by now."

"You _are_ a grandmother?! Ten times over!" He balked.

"Not from YOU I'm not!" He groaned again. _Oh yeah. We are SO having this talk again._ "Now will you have a date? Otherwise I have someone in mind. She's a doctor, a widow with two adorable-"

"I have a date." Kaffra blurted out. He couldn't take another blind date. Not again. They always ended so very badly.

"…who?"

"…" Kaffra ran a hand back over his pale blue hood and chewed his bottom lip. "Kaffra? Son?"

"A colleague." He panicked, and then had a marvellous idea. "She's, erm, a requisitions officer."

"Oh that sounds important." Kaffra placed the PDA next to him and prayed to the ancestors Dehana would leave it at that. "Well don't keep me in suspense! I can't remember the last time you had a girlfriend, or even a date. Tell me about her."

Kaffra swore silently and asked his ancestors what he'd done that was so bad to warrant this. "Kaffra?"

"She's…very good at her job. Dedicated and…" He found his mind wandering to the memory of her holding his wrist and giggling, telling him about her family. "…really cute…"

"WHAT?!" Kaffra groaned, realising he'd said that out loud. _Great. Now I've encouraged her._ "Well come on! Wait, I'll call your other mothers. Hyana! Olrea! Kaffra has a girlfriend and he says she's cute!"

 _No. This isn't happening._

"Mother I have to go. I still have work to do and a busy day ahead."

"But-"

"If you want me and my colleague to miss a whole day of work for this welcoming, you're going to need to leave me to work until then." He countered, and smirked as he heard his true mother grumble.

"Well alright. But I expect to be introduced to her properly when you get here. The welcoming will happen with the Kah Leeda's on Havarl."

"Of course." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. That was custom, after all. "We will be there bright and early for the welcoming." Kaffra hovered his finger over the end call button.

"And don't forget a gift this time!"

"Gift. Got it."

"Wait you haven't told me her na-"

Beep.

Kaffra sank on the sofa and groaned. _Well now I've really done it. Not only do I have to convince Sasava to come with me to the welcoming…but she needs to pretend to be my date. Great. That's going to be such a 'fun' conversation. Ah hell._


	16. Chapter 16

The alarm went off and Sasava slid out of bed. She yawned cutely and plodded her way over to the bathroom. The untouched bed beside her used to be Amber's, and she hoped one day soon it would become Keelana's. That brought a smile to her face as she sang in the shower. She smoothed her hands over the white mottling around her eyes and smiled. The Aya sun was making them stand out even more than usual. She dressed herself in white leather trousers, heeled boots, matching long sleeved jacket over her tank top and zipped herself in. The regulation initiative uniform fitted and accentuated the voluptuous shape of thighs, hips and breasts.

Sasava sat with her PDA and looked over the list of names she'd been sent from the CRC as she ate nutrient paste from a sashay. _Amber is the first on this list. After that there are hundreds of names, but they are all missing something. I'm going to need to sort these. I better log into SAM._ She opened a new tab and remotely logged into her Nexus account.

"Good morning Requisitions Officer Gaana. How may I be of assistance today?"

"Good morning SAM." Sasava finished the paste and walked around the kitchen with the PDA. "I have a list of names on my PDA I need sorting. Can you collate all the personnel profiles ready to filter please?"

"Yes. One moment please."

Sasava brushed her teeth as she waited, and washed her face. She was pouring coffee into a thermal flask when SAM got back to her. "I have analysed 632 female personnel files and am ready to filter to your requirements, RO Gaana."

"Excellent. I need to narrow the list down. Can you please eliminate anyone who has health issues preventing them from safely conceiving, giving birth, or raising a child?"

"Done. 612 names remaining."

"Ah drat. Not that many less…ok. SAM? Please remove anyone who…has a high risk job, and therefore would be unlikely to agree to become pregnant for fear of losing the child."

"Done. 458 names remaining."

"…still too many names…erm…oh? How about we make a list of all the women who are only one or two factors off fitting their species specific criteria from the remaining list?"

"Collating…done. 25 names remaining."

"Holy shit, really? That few? Then again this is Andromeda." Sasava stood in front of her door and looked at the list. "Amber's name is on here, so there's actually only 24 more names…SAM? How many of these women are on Aya right now? Not including Relations officer Amber Kah Leeda?"

"There are 3 initiative agents based on Aya who fit your search parameters RO Gaana."

"Brilliant! I'll start there. Please forward the three personnel files to my email account so I can start contacting these women."

"You have the approval of the CRC on your account RO Gaana, so I will do as you have asked."

"Excellent. Thanks SAM. You can log out of this ip address now."

"Yes RO Gaana. Have a nice day."

"You too." She chuckled. "Alright. It's a start." Sasava headed out with her coffee in her thermal flask, a smile on her face and a skip in her step.

Sasava found Kaffra stood outside of his office when she got there. He seemed to come round from his own train of thought as he saw her.

"Good morning Sasava." He cleared his throat and opened the door for her.

"…good morning Kaffra." She walked in and pursed her lips together. He's being odd. Normally when she got here he was already well away with his emails and meetings. She barely got a glance from him unless she addressed him first. Or something was clearly wrong…like yesterday.

"Oh, you have a drink."

Sasava pulled her chair out from her desk and saw a cup of tea steaming and waiting for her.

"Oh thank you Kaffra. My coffee is in a thermal flask, so I can have it later." Sasava sat in the chair and palmed the cup with a bright smile. It as nice for him to make the effort like this. So she wanted to encourage it.

"Good. Not a waste then." He cleared his throat again, and Sasava realised how nervous he looked. Kaffra sat at his desk but turned his chair to face her. "You…"

"Yes?" Sasava crossed one leg elegantly over the other and turned in her chair to face him as well. She blew on her tea and patiently sipped it.

"…you are dressed differently today?" He bottled his nerve, and then closed his eyes, furious with himself.

"Oh I suppose I am. I have a lot of Ethan's exchange jobs to monitor today. Being 'in the field', I thought it would be more practical to wear the regulation uniform. Rather than a work dress."

"Yes that makes sense." Kaffra leaned forward, braced his elbows off his knees and rubbed his hands together. "Look-I." he pursed his lips together and grumbled. Why was this so difficult? Surely if he explained what he needed from her, and why, she'd understand? "Last night my true mother called me."

"Oh?" Sasava listened patiently. Whatever she expected him to say, that hadn't been it. She relaxed. At least if it was something to do with his family, it couldn't involve her, right? For a moment she thought she'd offended Kaffra or something, with the way he looked at her anxiously.

"Yes. Well, Amber and Kjaan's last day of closeness is today." He cleared his throat and sat back in his chair with his arms folded. "Kjaan's true mother will lead the welcoming ceremony tomorrow. All the family is invited."

"Oh really? Sounds lovely."

"It will be, _for them."_ Kaffra groaned and decided he needed to just come out with it. "I'm cousin of Kjaan's."

"Oh? I had no idea." Sasava smiled. "So does that mean you'll be at the welcoming party tomorrow?"

"Yes." he grimaced. "And every time there is a family occasion my _meddlesome_ mothers like to humiliate me." He growled and sulked off to one side. "They find someone to ambush me with. A blind date that ends horribly every time. Honesty they get worse each time."

"…blind date?" Sasava bit her lips together. She couldn't imagine Kaffra on a blind date.

"Every bloody time they find the most arrogant, loud mouthed, highly opinionated chit and expect me to play nice with them? Like there's a chance I might suddenly fall to heel and settle down with those overbearing matriarchal-it's ridiculous really. It's like my mothers don't _know_ me."

"Sounds awful." Sasava bit the inside of her cheek. _Sounds hilarious!_

"Anyway." Kaffra waved her 'kind comment' off and looked directly at her. "I panicked when I was threatened with the same treatment at the welcoming ceremony. I told them I had a date."

"Oh no, you did?" Sasava giggled, and he groaned. "Oh I understand. I've been there."

"You have?"

"Yes. My sister Teyxao was always trying to set me up on dates. Not for the same reasons as you though." Sasava blushed and looked off to one side. "She wasn't interested in getting me to settle down."

"Oh?" Kaffra couldn't stop the bead of amusement that threaded through his smile.

"Yeah, most sisters try to get their sisters to be mature, get their careers sorted and settle own? My crazy big sister just kept trying to get me laid." Sasava shrugged, and thought Kaffra could do with cheering up. Even if it was at her expense. It seemed to work too, as he chuckled. "So I'm on team 'don't set me up on a blind date', don't worry." She sipped her tea.

"It's a bit more than that." Kaffra gulped, knowing he couldn't avoid it anymore. "I…told her that _you_ are my date." Sasava nearly spat her tea out. How she managed to swallow and not spray Kaffra was beyond her. "I told you I panicked, right?"

"…yeah you mentioned that bit."

"Right, well, the things is, I _really_ can't take another blind date. And knowing my true mother? She has someone in the wings ready to _deploy_ if I turn up alone."

"…" Sasava knew what he needed. What he was trying to ask her. But a rebellious part of her made her fain ignorance so she'd have the pleasure of making him ask her directly. This would be a moment to treasure and laugh over, again, and again, and again, after all. So Sasava raised a brow and waited for him lost his patience.

"Sasava, damn it, I need you to be my date."

"I see." Sasava licked her lips and smirked at him for a while. "And?"

"What do you mean and?!"

"Well you've told me what you want Trade Minister. What will you offer me in exchange for this service?"

Mentally Sasava was giving herself a high five, and cowering in a corner. Where she found the quick thinking and the sheer _balls_ to say that, Sasava would _never_ know.

"Oh I see how it is." Kaffra stood and put his hands on his hips. "Alright, let's treat this like any trade deal."

"Ok." Sasava stood, putting her game face on. She put her hands on her hips to mirror him. "Make me an offer I won't want to refuse?"

"Well I can't offer you anything in regards to Aya's resources for a personal errand. And you know that." Kaffra had to admit he was rather impressed with her reaction, but right now he couldn't show it. Ever the shrewd businessman, he needed to make a smart deal. "You're clearly willing to go with me, as your entertaining the prospect. You'll accept, if I offer you something you want."

"That's _usually_ how this works." Sasava giggled. This was fun, and even Kaffra was failing to hide amusement in his eyes.

What both of them hadn't realised, is how much they were flirting with each other.

"Well you know I can't offer you anything in regard to Aya's resources. That limits the parameters considerably. Therefore, you should tell me what it is you want from me, or you'd be willing to accept, and we can start negotiating." Kaffra took a step towards her and gestured with one hand.

"Well you see that depends." Sasava took a step towards him, and raised a brow as she smirked up at him. "Anything that naturally comes to mind is work related, which you can't give me. So you're going to have to start making me offers of what you think I might appreciate." Sasava jutted one hip out with her hand on it and pretended to look at her nails on her other hand. "If I fancy anything you offer, I might agree."

"…nic nacks." Kaffra folded his arms and opened negotiations.

"I have those." Sasava shrugged.

"…I'll make you tea every morning for a month?"

"Sweet, but not something I'd seek out. Sorry." She lowered her hand to brace both of them on her hips. Kaffra held his chin and hummed in thought. He searched his memories for what he'd learned about her.

"The only thing you want that isn't work related is your task of getting your sister out cryo."

Gotcha.

Sasava napped her emerald eyes up to look up at him intently. "What if I were to help you run some errands towards that task?"

"…" Sasava's mouth opened, and she turned with a flourish to swipe her PDA. Her fingers blurred over the screen and brought up the personnel files SAM helped her filter. "…of over 600 potential females, I managed to use the VI from the Nexus to identify three women on Aya who are one or two criteria away from being approved for fertility and implantation."

"Oh? Only three?" He frowned on her behalf. "Will four be enough?"

"Perhaps. I won't know until I try." Sasava shrugged and smiled as she started to go over the profiles. "Four is better than one, right? Anyway the first woman is a Salarian and she works in your Sewage processing plant beneath Aya. If we can get her transferred to a department where she doesn't come into contact with sewage, then she fits the criteria."

"Hmmmm. Go on." Kaffra decided to get all the information before making another offer.

Sasava wasn't willing to be his date for anything small, it seemed. So he had to make sure he was able and comfortable with whatever he offered her next, in case she said yes.

"The second woman…ah! Turian." She's a soldier training with your Heskaarl. Set up by Ethan actually. She has a boyfriend, human, and they both work and live here on Aya. He's a geneticist working on the Kett samples. Again it's the job."

"Our women take a leave of absence when heavily pregnant, and return to their job when the child is older. Is that not the case for your people?"

"Yes." Sasava propped herself to sit on her desk, cutely he thought, as she swiped down the list. "If she agrees to go on leave then she hits all the turian criteria."

"And the last one?"

"Hmm? Opening it now."

Her jaw dropped. She held the PDA to her chest and cleared her throat before looking up at Kaffra. "I know the third person. She'll be…difficult to convince."

"Oh?" Kaffra frowned. "Is it her job again?"

"No, actually." Sasava peered down at the PDA to read the missing criteria, and then held it to her chest again. She tried so hard not to look sheepish. "Her job isn't the problem. In fact she would be nominated the same as Amber, if she had a partner."

"Oh. So the lack of partner is the issue."

"Yup…but the first two women could be a potential option? Won't know until I ask them." Sasava put her game face back on and slid off the desk to square up to Kaffra again. "I need to know what departments the Salarian woman could be transferred to, and if the turian would be allowed to stay here if she went on this leave of absence to have a child. If you get me that information? Then I'll be your date. No." Sasava held the PDA to her left hip and poked his chest with her right hand. "I will be _the best_ date _ever."_

"…really?" Kaffra cocked his head to one side and had all sorts of thoughts come to mind. None of which he dared to voice. "What would 'the best date' look like?"

"I'll dress elegantly, hold on to your arm and smile at _all_ your jokes…if you make any." She shrugged teasing him. "I'll flatter you to your family, but I won't go overboard so they see through the act. I'll back up on any cover story you give me. And if the occasion demands it? I'll give you a chaste kiss to confirm we are dating. On the cheek is fine. The lips only as a needs be basis, and no tongue." Sasava was blushing, despite how confident she tried to sound. "If you want to drink I'll even drag you into a cab at the end of the night without telling you off. Just don't barf on me, ok?"

"I don't drink like that." Kaffra smirked at her. "I can agree to that in essence, but some of those terms need to be refined." Kaffra nodded, ever the businessman. "You are asking for quite a bit of leg work on my part outside of office hours."

"I am?" Sasava frowned.

"Yes. To get that done I will need more than for you to be my date."

"Oh?" Sasava put her hands on her hips and raised a brow. She thought she'd been more than reasonable. "What exactly is your counter offer?"

"I will introduce you to my family as my girlfriend." He smirked at the dark green tinge of her cheeks. "Our 'cover story', is that we work together, went for drinks and decided to date as we get along so well."

They both chuckled, amused by that story. "We've been dating for a while, but we've both taken things steady. Respectable."

"Sounds fine so far…?" Sasava narrowed her green eyes up at him. Kaffra was smirking. He wasn't done yet.

"We will be the epitome of enamoured with each other. We will dance together." He counted off his fingers. "You will not leave me alone to be ambushed." Another finger. "And if there _is_ the need for kissing, you will sell it. Tongue and all, if needs be."

Sasava exhaled with indignation. "Oh there's more."

"Of course there is." She pouted, but nodded for him to continue.

"My mothers will want to question you about me. You need to be convincing. So they think we intend to be together for the long term, and they don't try and set me up for a long time."  
"Let me guess? For the next few occasions I'll be busy working or ill, and then I'll turn up when they get suspicious?"

"Ideally." Kaffra nodded. "But we can discuss terms again the next time I require your assistance in this endeavour."

"Obviously." Sasava looked away and then back to him. "Is that the end of the list of your _demands_?"

"I will guarantee to have the information required for one of your women by the end of the day." Sasava's eyes widened. "And I will get you the other information when we return.

"Half payment up front, half after. I see how it is." Sasava chewed her bottom lip and looked off to the side as she weighed up her options.

 _I could find out that information on my own, but it would take a lot longer. I'm not familiar with Aya's departments as Kaffra is. He may know people and get faster action that I would too._ She then looked up at his perfectly schooled face of indifference. _All I have to do is spend one day pretending to be Kaffra's girlfriend. I'd get to see Amber too, which would be nice. But am I willing to laugh and kiss the man as and when 'required'? Can I be convincing enough with his mothers?_ "I will need background information on your mothers so it sounds like you've talked to me about them. Give me stories of your childhood that would convince them we're in a real relationship."

"Agreed." He nodded with a grin. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, Kaffra. We have a deal. Shake on it?" Sasava offered her hand to him, and Kaffra shook it. She smiled, touched he remembered how. He didn't release her hand, and she allowed him to guide her closer to wrap his other arm around her. Sasava returned the embrace and when they parted they were both a bit bashful. "Right, well I have errands to do." She pointed towards the door.

"Yes of course. I am very busy as well." Kaffra hurried to sit in front of his computer and cleared his throat. "Send me the names of the two women you wish me to look into."  
"Yes I will." Sasava held her PDA to her chest and hurried towards the door. She was in such a hurry she left her cup of tea _and_ her flask of coffee on her desk. "I'll see you later Kaffra."

"Indeed." He pretended to be engrossed in what he was reading on the screen as she left the office. Once the door shut he exhaled and allowed himself to smile. He thought about how it would be to dance with Sasava. Putting his hands on her curvy body. To be allowed to! He also licked his lips and thought about how he could orchestrate the 'occasion' that would require them to kiss… "What am I doing?" Kaffra shuddered and shook off those ridiculous ideas. "It's an act, nothing more. A business arrangement so we both get what we want. Sasava get's information. I get protection from my mothers. That's it. Nothing more…never more than…just a deal."

With a scowl set on his face he threw himself into his work. _Sasava would never...not for a man like me. There is no point even entertaining thoughts to the contrary._


End file.
